Consequences of Forgetting
by kittikat8531
Summary: Usagi decides she doesn't want to remember her past after Mamoru breaks up with her. So, she doesn't, using the Ginzuishou. Things don't exactly go according to her plan. 2nd season break up. UsagiXMamoru. Please R&R. Now complete!
1. Part I

"I'm sorry, Luna, but I can't deal with this any more," Usagi said tiredly

AN: So yeah, this is my newest Sailor Moon fan fic. It's not finished yet, but for some reason I've decided to release it as I go along so I can get a better idea from my readers where to go with it. I hope you like it. I don't own Sailor Moon, obviously. On with the story.

88888888

"I'm sorry, Luna, but I can't deal with this any more," Usagi said tiredly.

"Usagi-chan, you have to. The Senshi need you, especially with this enemy after Chibiusa-chan. We all need you," the small cat pleaded, hoping to change her mistress's mind.

"I can't. I've tried, but I can't do it. This is all too much for me to do. Haven't I been through enough already? I've lost the people I care about too many times. I don't want to have to live through it again," she replied, carefully removing the precious Crystal from its nest in her broach. "I wished that the Ginzuishou would let me live a normal life again, but there's always a new enemy or a new problem. Mamo-chan doesn't love me any more. Trying to find him again was a huge part of the reason I held on when we were fighting Ali and En. I can't go on without him again, Luna. I died rather than be without him before. Isn't this a better way?"

"Usagi, using the Ginzuishou to erase your memories is not the solution. Like I said, we need you so much."

"Minako-chan has pretended to be me before. She can use the Moon Scepter, too. With the Luna Pen and the Scepter, you'll still be able to defeat the Droids and protect Chibiusa. I just can't take that much pressure any more," she said, carefully putting her empty broach, scepter, and Luna Pen in a box to be given to Minako, clutching the Ginzuishou in the other hand.

"You'll have to give the Ginzuishou to Rei-chan. She's got some magical training, so she should be able to use it. Luna, I need to do this," she declared, turning to face her feline guardian. "Would you rather have a dead Moon Princess or a live one that simply doesn't remember? You have to swear to me that you won't bring back my memories unless it's absolutely necessary. Please, Luna!"

Luna sighed, standing up. "You know I can't stop you, Usagi-chan. You're my princess, and I only want what's best for you, but running away from your problems won't solve them."

Usagi jokingly replied, "I'm not running away from my problems, I'm simply forgetting them." A sad smile hovered on her lips as she fought to stay calm. She'd cried far too frequently of late. "We need to get to the shrine. The others will be wondering where we are."

88888888

"Usagi, please don't do this," Rei implored her best friend. "What will we do without you?"

"You can all make friends with me again after I do this, minna. I just can't deal with being Sailor Moon and the Moon Princess any more. I already nearly lost you because of it. I'm not even a very good warrior. The four of you will be able to protect Chibiusa-chan without me."

"But Usagi-chan, we still don't know who's behind the attacks and why they're after her. We will probably need Sailor Moon. You're what keeps this group together. We would never have met without you," Minako protested, throwing her arms around her friend.

"Minako-chan, you were a Senshi long before I was. You're better equipped to handle this. I trust you. I just can't keep remembering that I had someone that loved me and then lost him. Princess Serenity killed herself rather than live without Endymion. Isn't this better?" Usagi questioned gently, hugging the other girl back. She had made up her mind.

Minako backed away as the four warriors exchanged unhappy looks. They didn't want to fight without her, but they wanted her to be happy again more. Usagi had been perpetually happy before the world had crashed down around her.

"I can't help but feel like there's a reason this shouldn't happen, but it's your choice. I'll support whatever you decide, Usagi-chan," Ami stated simply.

"Arigato, Ami-chan," Usagi whispered as she hugged her friend. She looked up at the others. "Everybody ready? You'll have to make sure I get back home before I wake up," she said as she stood up. "Hopefully, I'll see you all soon."

"When you do, you'd better make sure you're happy again," Makoto ordered. "I'll make sure to offer you some food when you forget your lunch on Monday. Then we can be friends again."

"I'm going to live with Mako-chan," Luna informed the group. "It would be too hard to keep from talking around Usagi-chan."

All five girls nodded. "Will someone remember to tell Chibiusa that I won't remember?" Usagi suddenly asked.

"I already took care of it," Rei assured her. "She knows not to say anything about Sailor Moon or anything else. We haven't had any trouble yet since you defeated Rubeus, so we may be alright."

Usagi took a deep breath as she lifted the Ginzuishou. "Please, Ginzuishou, I just want an ordinary life. I don't want to remember the past, or being Sailor Moon. Just let me be an ordinary girl again," she whispered.

The Ginzuishou blazed to life, flashing brightly as it enveloped its princess in the pink waves of power. Usagi dropped to the ground, unconscious, as the Ginzuishou floated over her head.

Rei bowed her head slightly and whispered to the stone, "Ginzuishou, I would wield you in the Princess's place, if I may, until such time that she can do so herself."

The Crystal flashed again and moved to float over the priestess's hand, showing its acquiescence. She gently closed her fingers over it as she lifted its chain up, settling the necklace in place.

"Ready, Mako-chan?" Luna asked. She nodded, then held up her henshin pen.

"JUPITER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"

Sailor Jupiter carefully lifted her unconscious princess before running down the road, taking Usagi back to her house. The other girls watched her go with a heavy heart.

"Goodbye, Usagi-chan. I just pray when we meet again you'll be alright," Ami said wistfully.

88888888

The next day started in the same fashion one would normally expect for Usagi: she overslept and ended up running out of the house with ten minutes till the bell.

"Oh, I'm SOOOO late! Why didn't Mom wake me up in time?" she shrieked as she ran down the streets, not even noticing the man who had been both arch-foe and boyfriend to the younger girl at various times. He looked shocked when she didn't even glance at him, or run into him like she usually did.

She raced into her classroom a matter of seconds before the bell, skidding into her desk and knocking it over.

"Tsukino-san!" her teacher shouted. "Why can't you enter the room more gracefully, instead of attacking the furniture?"

"Gomen nasai, Haruna-sensei," the girl murmured, sinking into her seat. The teacher turned to start calling role.

A few minutes later, Usagi was napping in class, to no one's surprise. "Tsukino-san! Did you do your homework?"

Usagi snapped out of it and looked up at Ms. Haruna. "Homework? Well, umm, you see…"

"Go stand in the hall!"

"Hai, hai…" Usagi muttered as she shuffled out of the room.

88888888

Mamoru had been wandering around all day in a haze. 'She didn't even look at me… What on earth is going on?' he wondered.

He headed into the arcade, knowing the girls would be out of school soon and would most likely head to the same place. When he got there, Minako was already sitting there talking to Motoki.

"Hey, Motoki-kun, Minako-chan! Minako, could I have a word?" he asked, giving the girl a look.

"Umm, hai, Mamoru-san. I'll be right back, Motoki-onii-san. Hai, Mamoru?" she asked cautiously. He looked slightly demonic at the moment.

"What the hell is going on with Usako?" he demanded immediately.

"I haven't the slightest idea," she murmured demurely. "Whatever do you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean. She ran by me this morning and didn't even look at me. It's like she either didn't see me or didn't know who I was," he nearly bellowed.

"Is that so? Well, I'd have no idea why that would happen," she replied sweetly. "Maybe she's just giving you a taste of your own medicine."

At that point in their little… conversation, the doors slid open and Usagi walked in with Ami and Makoto, both of whom had already made friends with her again. Chibiusa was following Usagi, and Rei came in a few seconds later.

"Minako-chan! Rei-chan! There's someone here I want you to meet!" Makoto called.

"Coming, Mako-chan!" Minako replied. "Sorry, Mamoru-san, I have to go. My friends need me," she said, smirking as she walked away.

This little exchange simply left Mamoru even more confused. 'Someone I want you to meet? But the girls already know Usako, and there was no one new with them. What's going on? I should ask Chibiusa-chan. She might know.'

The thought had barely been completed in his head when Chibiusa popped into the booth across from him. "Hey, Mamo-chan!"

"Hi, Chibiusa-chan. Do you know what those girls are up to? Usako is acting funny."

Chibiusa stared at him. "You don't know?" she asked, disbelief evident in her face.

"Know what? So far no one has told me anything!" he exclaimed, eyeing the child. "What's going on?"

"Usagi… Usagi used the Ginzuishou to erase her memories. She didn't want to know any more. Since they defeated Rubeus, they didn't think it would be a problem," Chibiusa stammered, slightly scared by the look on his face. She had never seen such a fierce expression on his face, even when Usagi had been trapped in that eternal sleep which, luckily, hadn't been so eternal.

Mamoru sat back and started counting slowly, trying to rein in his temper. "And she did this why?"

"She told the girls that it was a better alternative than Princess Serenity's reaction to being alone. She didn't want to be alone, but she didn't want to die either. She said there was too much to live for."

'Oh, Kami, what have I done?' Mamoru wondered. "Do you know anything else?" he asked as calmly as he could.

"Umm, I know that she left the Ginzuishou with Rei-chan and gave the Luna Pen and her Moon Scepter to Minako-chan. What else did you want to know?" she replied.

"Did she say what to do to bring her memories back?"

"She asked Luna to bring them back only if absolutely necessary, I think. The Ginzuishou did a good job. She doesn't remember anything about being Sailor Moon or Princess Serenity or anything other than being a normal girl. She doesn't even remember meeting you, since you have such a huge connection to her other memories."

He slouched over his coffee at this. 'Why did I listen to those idiotic dreams? I thought she would just move on. I never imagined she'd do _this_.'

88888888

Prince Dimande watched the scene unfolding with amusement. It was really working out better than he had hoped. He'd known that feeding Mamoru those nightmares would alienate him from the Princess, but he'd never dreamed Serenity would completely erase her memories. It would make what he was doing much simpler.

"Esmeraude, come here," he ordered.

Esmeraude appeared in front of the throne, bowing. "Hai, Dimande-sama?"

"You're in charge of the operations in the past now. You know what to do."

Esmeraude bowed again as she vanished, heading to Saphir's laboratory to have him send her to the past, as the prince chuckled.

"Nice try, Serenity. Simply forgetting your troubles will by no means solve them. I will so enjoy meeting you at last."

88888888

Mamoru had decided that fate enjoyed confusing him. No sooner had Usagi erased her memories than his nightmares had ended as well. He really wanted advice and knew that all of the others that knew the truth, namely the Senshi, had no interest in helping him. He had no one to tell. After pacing around his apartment for five hours one afternoon, he decided he desperately needed to tell someone.

Naturally, for Mamoru, if he needed to talk to someone and it couldn't be Usagi, it would be Motoki. Mamoru headed out the door, turning toward the arcade, since his best friend had work that afternoon.

For the first time in the two weeks since Usagi had forgotten, Mamoru got lucky. When he showed up, Motoki was about to go on break, so they'd have a chance to talk privately. The two of them went into the arcade's back room so Mamoru could explain.

'Hopefully Motoki won't be too mad at me for keeping this a secret,' he thought. 'He hates it when I don't tell him something.'

"So, Mamoru-kun, what's so important that you can't talk to me in the arcade like usual? Having girl problems?" Motoki asked, watching without surprise when Mamoru suddenly jolted straight up.

"How did you know that?" he demanded.

"Hmm… one day you're dating Usagi-chan, next you're not. Now you're here looking like something the cat dragged in. One has to assume that it has something to do with whatever's wrong between the two of you. She doesn't even acknowledge your existence any more."

"That's part of the problem, though. Okay, I'm about to show you something, but you have to swear not to tell anyone and not to freak out," Mamoru said seriously.

One of Motoki's eyebrows shot up. "What are you, about to show me a dead body or something? I don't freak out that easily."

"Not exactly. Just watch and you'll find out," Mamoru replied as he pulled out one of his perfect Tuxedo Kamen roses. He transformed into his alter ego, watching as his best friend's jaw hit the floor.

"You… you're Tuxedo Kamen? How does Usagi-chan feel about this? After all, everyone knows Tuxedo Kamen has a thing for Sailor Moon."

"Usako IS Sailor Moon, Motoki-kun," Mamoru dead-panned. His friend looked like he was about to faint. It was almost amusing.

"Wait, our little Usagi-chan is… is SAILOR MOON?! Why didn't anyone tell me this earlier?" he demanded.

"Part of the whole superhero thing involves keeping it a secret. Usako's friend Naru didn't even know she was Sailor Moon, but she still got dragged into a lot of fights. By us not saying anything, we were protecting the people we were close to," he replied, hoping it would pacify his irate friend.

"But you still could have told me! Mamoru-kun, you should've trusted me with this secret a long time ago!"

"Motoki-kun, could we go over that later? I didn't tell you just so you could yell at me. I actually had a reason to reveal this to you." Mamoru paused and considered for a moment. "Oh, do you remember the Moonlight Knight? He was at the play I did with Usako and the others."

"Hmm, Moonlight Knight… Yeah, I remember him. Strange guy dressed all in white, wearing a mask over the lower half of his face, blue eyes, black… hair… Mamoru, that couldn't have been you, could it? You were there at the same time!" Motoki practically screamed.

"Please calm down. Hai, Moonlight Knight was me too, but not in the same way that I'm Tuxedo Kamen. Something happened at one point during our battles, and all of us, including the Senshi, lost their memories. The Senshi got theirs back quickly, but I still didn't remember. Essentially, Moonlight Knight was my subconscious desire to protect Usako."

"You superheroes have such complicated lives. Anyway," Motoki continued, trying to shrug off the shock, "what's the current problem?"

"Usako forgot everything. She doesn't remember being Sailor Moon, meeting me, anything," he said, feeling better to have someone to talk to.

"Is it like what happened when you said you and all the Senshi lost your memories?"

"Sort of, except that Usako lost hers voluntarily. The Senshi and I had lost ours as a result of a particular battle that cost all of us our lives. Do you remember when I vanished for a few weeks, a couple months back?"

"Sort of. I tried asking Usagi-chan if she'd seen you, but she wouldn't answer. She just kind of ignored the question."

Mamoru nodded. "Usako couldn't say anything without giving away our secrets. We'd just found out that the two of us, worst enemies, were actually two superheroes that had fallen in love with each other. It was a bit of a shock to both of us. Unfortunately, in addition to that, we were in a fight with one of our enemies. They tried to stab Sailor Moon from behind, but I jumped in the way."

"Wait, you got stabbed? Why am I just finding this out? Are you okay?" Motoki interrupted.

"Hai, I got stabbed. I'm fine; it was a long time ago. Can I finish explaining what happened now?"

"Um, yeah, go ahead, but next time you could warn me if there's going to be parts that scare me," the arcade owner suggested as he massaged his temples.

"I don't know if I can really do that. So far I've told you the least complicated parts. Just listen to the story," Mamoru ordered.

"Fine," Motoki muttered.

"Anyway, after that, we found out that we'd had a past life together as well. We'd been engaged then. Unfortunately, there was someone that had known me in my past life that had been obsessed with me. She was one of the ones behind all of those attacks. She kidnapped me and brainwashed me, and I ended up fighting against the Sailor Senshi for a while."

"You were stabbed AND brainwashed? Am I going to like the rest of this story?"

"Probably not. Can I continue now, or do you feel the need to add more commentary?" Mamoru asked drily.

"Go for it."

"After a couple tries, Sailor Moon managed to heal me, but then I got stabbed again and died."

"You DIED?! Why am I just finding this out? You could've told your best friend, you know!" Motoki's blond-ness was really showing.

"I thought I already mentioned it being part of the whole superhero thing. I'm not the only one that died that day, and I didn't even remember it myself till recently. I told you we'd lost our memories," he said with a shrug.

"You do realize it's not normal to shrug off things like dying, right?" Motoki said, eyeing his friend like he'd lost his mind.

"I've died twice. It's hard to be overly concerned by it after that," he pointed out.

"I don't think I'd want to be a superhero," Motoki decided. "Anyway, go on, I guess."

"The other Senshi had died that day, and Usako went to face the one behind the all the attacks. She won, but she died that day too. Her last wish as she lost consciousness was that all of us could live normal lives again, which is how we all came back without our memories. Usako's memories came back when the first attack after that happened, and her Senshi's came back the attack after that. I didn't get mine back till the very end of that particular enemy."

"How many enemies have there been? Most people assume it's still the same one."

"Strange assumption, considering the differences between the monsters of each. There were the youmas of the Dark Kingdom, the cardians of the Makaiju aliens, and now the droids of the Black Moon Clan, so there's been three enemies so far," Mamoru informed him.

"Yeah, I definitely don't want to be a superhero. I don't know how you can all still function." The blond shook his head. "You're all crazy to keep this up."

"That's part of the problem. Usako couldn't deal with what was going on any more so she erased her own memories."

"If it was just the usual fighting, why would she go so far as that?" Motoki asked, confused.

"That's kind of… not all of why she did it. First, there's Chibiusa-chan. We don't know who she is or where she comes from, but she has the same name as Usako."

"I thought Chibiusa was Usagi-chan's cousin," Motoki ventured, trying to fit everything together in his head.

Mamoru shook his head. "She's hypnotized people into believing that. We know she has something to do with the future, and that our enemy wants to catch her, as well as get their hands on the Ginzuishou."

"Ginzuishou? What's that?"

"The Ginzuishou is a special crystal. It belongs to Usako, and it's the major source of her powers. She's really the only one that can wield it properly, since the user has to have a certain bloodline."

"And what bloodline would that be?" Motoki pressed when his friend stopped.

"The wielder of the Ginzuishou has to be from the Royal Lunarian family," he said finally, somewhat hesitant on how much he should reveal, even if it was to his best friend.

"Royal Lunarian family? As in…?" Again with the blond moment. It's perfectly obvious what Lunarian means.

"As in from the moon, hai. Usako is the last remaining descendant, and she's only alive because her mother sent us all into the future when we died."

"Wait, if you were engaged to her past self, then you must have been royalty too…"

Mamoru nodded. "I was the crowned prince of Earth, Prince Endymion, although I was generally referred to as Prince of Terra. She was Princess Serenity of the Moon and her mother's only heir."

"Wow," Motoki said, sitting down heavily. "I'm friends with a Moon Princess and the Prince of the Earth. That was your past selves though, right?"

"Technically, I suppose we're still both, so I guess we're still betrothed too. The Moon gives its power to its Princess, the same way I draw my strength from the Earth and the Senshi draw strength from their respective planets. The Sailor Senshi had been princesses of their own planets as well as Princess Serenity's guardians."

"And the other Senshi would be who?"

"I can't really tell you that without their permission, although it shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Anyway, I've been having really strange nightmares recently, saying Usako would die if I got too close to her, so I broke it off and pushed her away. I think that's what tipped the scales and resulted in her erasing her own memories. She doesn't remember being Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity, or ever meeting me."

"You broke up with Usagi-chan because of some strange dreams? Mamoru-kun, are you really that much of a fool?" his friend demanded, smacking him upside the head with the end of a mop. Mamoru's hat fell off in the process. "I'm starting to think Usagi-chan's old nickname for you was well suited, Mamoru-baka."

"Thanks for the confidence vote," Mamoru said, sarcasm dripping from his words. "I had dreams about the Moon Princess before I ever met her, so I had to assume this dream was true too. The strange thing is that the dreams stopped right after Usako lost her memory. Since I'm not receiving threats that she'll die if I get too close anymore, I'm not sure what to do. Which brings me to why I told you all this, which she may very well kill me for when she remembers: what do I do now?"

"You might want to give me a few minutes to process everything you just told me before you expect coherent advice, Mamoru-kun. By the way, would you mind changing back? It's somewhat intimidating to have Tuxedo Kamen pacing around in the back of the arcade."

Mamoru glanced down at his expensive-looking tuxedo. "Oh, sorry, Motoki-kun. I didn't realize I was still transformed. I used to not be able to control my transformations, so I'm still not used to having to consciously direct it." He focused for a moment as his normal clothing came back.

"You didn't control it?" Motoki's curiosity had been piqued again.

"I didn't know I was Tuxedo Kamen at first. Remember when I used to complain to you about how I'd been having random blackouts?"

"Vaguely, but those stopped a long time ago, though."

"That was before I knew I was Tuxedo Kamen. When Usako needed me, I'd immediately transform and go to her. I could _feel_ it when she was in trouble, and it was rather excruciatingly painful. I only transformed voluntarily maybe a dozen times since I found out."

"Okay, this is just getting weirder, so I think I'm going to stop asking questions. Back to the issue. I think if you're not receiving threats against her life in your dreams," he said, rolling his eyes at the very idea, "you should get to know her again. Introduce yourself and be charming. I know you can, too. Now that you know how to treat her instead of torturing the poor girl, make her like you. It's possible that if she falls in love with you all over again, she may get her memories back… I think."


	2. Part II

AN: Hi, me again

AN: Hi, me again. I actually realized it was helpful to do this in chapter format. I don't know if I want to release all I already have or not, so please bear with me. Again, don't own Sailor Moon, never have, never will, so don't sue me. Enjoy.

88888888

Mamoru decided to take Motoki's advice to heart. If Usagi didn't even remember the baka he had been when they first met, he could start over without needing to reveal who they were. The Senshi might decide to kill him if they caught him, though… Was it safe to try when they might run into her friends?

'If they catch me, even little Ami might decide to try to rip me to shreds. They obviously want her to be happy again. Why did I ever listen to that idiotic dream? This would never have happened if I'd just ignored it,' he thought.

After wearing a new path into the park's grass, he finally admitted he'd have to do something. He could wait until the Senshi were in a fight and start to make friends with Usako again while they were gone. The problem was that he didn't know when the fights were any more. The magnet that had always drawn him to battle was Sailor Moon's transformation, and she didn't fight any more.

'I just hope that the Senshi don't find out… surely Usako doesn't tell them everything? Now that she's not a Senshi she doesn't have the same reasons to.'

Mamoru broke into a cold sweat as he imagined what the irate Senshi would do if they actually did find out. They most likely wouldn't leave any permanent injuries, but it would almost definitely hurt. He knew they wouldn't accept his trying to get close to their best friend again easily.

88888888

Dimande laughed as he watched the Terran prince pace. It was so amusing to watch him try to undo what he'd already done.

'Silly Endymion, you just can't accept that you've lost her, can you? Serenity will finally be mine, after all this time. Just you see…'

"Esmeraude, report."

"Hai, Prince Dimande?" the green-haired woman asked as she appeared.

"Tell me, how do the preparations go in the past?" the prince drawled.

"Things are proceeding smoothly. We're working slowly to avoid drawing the Sailor Senshi's attention. Everything should be ready in a week, my prince," she replied, bowing deeply.

"Very good, Esmeraude, thank you. Keep everything under control. Do your best to make sure no one figures out what's going on, but I want you to be ready within five days. Can you do that?"

Esmeraude frowned. "If I try to rush the job a bit more, there's a higher probability of the Sailor Senshi discovering our plan. Wouldn't it be better to continue at the pace we're holding now?"

"Are you questioning my orders, Esmeraude?" Dimande asked.

"Iie, of course not, Your Highness," Esmeraude said, backtracking quickly. "It's not my place to question you."

"Very well then. Get back to work. Like I said, five days." A strong air of finality hung in his words.

88888888

Usagi bounced into a nearly empty Crown Arcade, a cheerful expression lighting her face. She saw Motoki at the counter talking to a dark-haired man she didn't recognize.

"Konnichiwa, Motoki-onii-san! Are the girls here yet?"

"Konnichiwa, Usagi-chan. Iie, they were, but they left. They said they had something they had to do and asked me to tell you sorry. Rei-chan said she'd call you later to reschedule."

"Oh," she said, her pigtails drooping slightly. "I was looking forward to our shopping trip. Now what am I going to do today?"

"Gomen. How about a free milkshake to cheer you up? Triple thick chocolate fudge with extra whipped cream, of course," he bribed.

Naturally, the offer of free chocolate had the desired effect. Her eyes lit up and she bounced up and down.

"Arigato, Motoki-onii-san! You're so nice!"

He chuckled as he led the way back to the counter. "Usagi-chan, I'd like to introduce you to my best friend. This is Chiba Mamoru. Mamoru-kun, this is Tsukino Usagi."

"Konnichiwa, Chiba-san," Usagi said obediently. She was really only focused on the free milkshake Motoki had just set in front of her.

"Konnichiwa, Tsukino-san," he replied politely. 'No teasing her this time around.'

"Oh, please, just Usagi," she chirped as she pounced on her shake the moment it was placed in front of her. "No one calls me Tsukino-san unless I'm at school."

"Very well, Usagi-chan." The name 'Usako' was dying to slip from his mouth instead, but he firmly bit it back. "In that case, call me Mamoru."

"I was supposed to go shopping with my friends today, but Motoki-onii-san told me that they had to go do something. Now I just have to figure out what to do with all this free time."

Mamoru glanced at his friend. "Motoki-kun, could you turn on the news please?"

"Sure, Mamoru-kun, why?"

"Just want to see what's going on," he replied glibly. He was fairly certain there was a battle. The girls wouldn't back out on plans with Usagi otherwise.

Motoki obediently turned on the TV, which naturally showed an image of the four Senshi fighting one of the Dark Moon's droids.

"Where's Sailor Moon?" Usagi asked.

Both of the men turned and looked at her curiously. Why would she ask that? She wasn't even supposed to remember Sailor Moon existed.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Her gaze flitted between the two men uncertainly.

"Oh, iie, of course not, Usagi-chan. Just wondering why you asked that," Motoki said unsurely.

"Why wouldn't I? Sailor Moon is pretty famous, but she's not there. Doesn't she usually fight with them? And where's Tuxedo Kamen?"

Mamoru struggled mightily not to smirk. "Well, he only usually shows up when Sailor Moon needs help. If she's not there, how can she need his help?"

Usagi thought about it for a second, then nodded. "That makes sense. I wonder where she is though…"

"I think she's otherwise occupied at the moment," Motoki choked, smothering his laughter.

"I guess even superheroes need time off, don't they, Mamoru-san?" Usagi suggested.

"I'm sure they do," he murmured. He couldn't just say that there were two of them taking time off at that particular second, as much as he wanted to.

'When she gets her memories back, we are going to need to have a lllloooonnnngggg talk about why she shouldn't have done this. If her Senshi don't barbecue me first…'

"Mamoru-san, why do you look scared all of the sudden?" Usagi enquired curiously, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"What? I do?" He glanced at Motoki, who shrugged. Ah well, she'd always been able to read him best. It wasn't surprising that she still could; it was instinctive, not a conscious action.

"Yeah, you did. All of the sudden you looked terrified. Is something wrong?" Usagi replied, ever the concerned friend.

"Iie, nothing's wrong. I just thought of a bad memory for a second," he covered quickly. He took a closer look at the news, noting that Sailor Venus had disguised herself as… Sailor Moon?

"Usagi-chan, why do you say Sailor Moon isn't there? Isn't that her in the middle?"

"Iie, that's Sailor Venus. She used to disguise herself as Sailor Moon all the time, but I could always see the difference."

You could practically hear the jaws of both men hitting the floor as they stared at her. Most civilians would never have seen a difference, let alone know anything about it. Mamoru only hadn't noticed because he expected her not to be there. Apparently she still remembered, to some degree, a few things about the Senshi.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" she demanded.

"How did you know that?" Mamoru asked gently, trying not to frighten her.

She paused, then replied, "I really don't know. I just kind of… know. If that makes any sense, which it probably doesn't."

"Iie, it makes perfect sense," Mamoru murmured, too low for anybody but Motoki to hear him, who nodded.

"Did I miss something? You two are acting strange." Usagi glanced between the two again, perplexed.

Mamoru turned on his mega-watt smile. "Of course not, why would you say that?"

88888888

Rei glanced up from sweeping the steps as Usagi entered the shrine the next afternoon. "Konnichiwa, Usagi-chan!"

"Konnichiwa, Rei-chan. Is everyone here yet? I want to eat Mako-chan's goodies."

The miko laughed slightly. Some things never changed. "Mako-chan is inside. She said she brought plenty of treats. The others should be here in a few minutes. I'm so sorry we had to bail on you yesterday. Were you mad? What did you do?"

"Iie, I'm fine. I made a new friend since you couldn't be there," she informed the other girl.

"Really? Who?" Rei asked with mild curiosity. 'Who frequents Crown that she doesn't already know?'

"Motoki-onii-san's best friend. Chiba Mamoru, I think it was. Rei? What's wrong?"

Rei was clutching her broom so tightly it looked like it was going to snap. She could literally see Mars' flames in front of her eyes. For her princess's sake, she forced herself to pretend everything was all right. 'We are going to kill him… slowly, I hope.'

She gritted her teeth as she lied. "Nothing's wrong, Usagi-chan. Why don't you go see what treats Mako-chan made for us today?"

"Okay," she chirped, flitting away just as the other two girls arrived.

"What's up, Rei-chan? You look like you're ready to kill someone," Minako commented as Ami glanced up from her physics textbook.

"Oh, I certainly hope so. I have no doubt you'll be joining me, too," she spat, violet eyes flashing with her ire.

"Who made you so angry, Rei? I've seen you get mad before, but this is incredible," Ami observed.

"Care to take a guess?" Rei muttered sarcastically. "Who is the one person that caused everything to change?"

"Rei, you aren't making sense," Minako warned, trying to understand her friend's cryptic remarks.

"Fine, I'll spell it out. Mamoru-san is making friends with Usagi-chan," she growled. Wisps of steam curled around her head in a literal sense as she restrained her Mars power.

Both of the other girls' eyes narrowed. "How did you find out?"

"Usagi-chan told me when she got here. She seemed so happy, but then she's always thrilled to make friends with new people. Who's up to killing him tonight?"

Minako looked upset, and Ami, who normally objected to unnecessary violence, seemed just as inclined to taking care of him personally as the rest of them, albeit only if she didn't receive the desired answers.

"Can one of you go in and ask Mako-chan to come out, then keep Usagi-chan company?" Rei asked quickly.

"I'll go," Ami volunteered. "She's less likely to think I'm planning to kill someone, since, frankly, right now both of you look more than a little scary."

The blue-haired teen hurried to Rei's room to get Makoto, hoping the others wouldn't do anything to scare Usagi. As soon as she told Makoto that the other two wanted to talk to her, the other girl raced out.

"What's going on? Is there another droid attack?" She demanded.

Minako and Rei both shook their heads. "Iie, Mako-chan, Esmeraude isn't up to anything that we know of at the moment. We're currently planning the slaughter of a different enemy," Rei explained.

Makoto frowned. "Different enemy? Would one of you care to elaborate?"

"Mamoru-san is trying to cozy up to Usagi-chan," Minako ground out.

A dark scowl crossed the other girl's face. "When do we kill him?"

Rei laughed slightly. "Well, we obviously can't do anything now, not with Usagi-chan here. We'll have to wait till later, probably tonight if there's no enemy. He'd better talk fast if he doesn't want to suffer some serious injuries."

88888888

Mamoru sat at his desk, trying to decide what his next step should be. Usagi hadn't shown any signs of disliking him, so he felt fairly safe on that front, but the threat from her Senshi was still high. Since she didn't know he'd rather they not find out, there was always a chance it would come up in some conversation. To comfort himself, he went and locked the door to his porch. Only one of them could come in that way, so hopefully the lock would deter them long enough for him to hear them and run.

"For all I know, her Senshi already found out and could walk in any moment," he said out loud as he tried to organize his thoughts.

A knock sounded at his front door. Assuming it was Motoki, since he didn't know anyone else that would come that way, he opened the door without looking first, only to be roughly shoved aside as two angry teenaged girls stormed in.

'Apparently, they do already know,' he thought. 'Oh, this ought to be a fun evening.'

Makoto grabbed him by the front of his shirt and tossed him into a chair. "You'd better start explaining yourself quickly if you don't want us to kill you now," she snapped.

Ami walked over to the porch door to let in the other two, both of whom were already transformed. Venus and Mars both looked livid. As they walked in, Ami headed out for a moment to complete her own henshin.

"Mako-chan, henshin. We'll talk to him while you do," Venus ordered briskly, automatically assuming the role of leader. The other girl slipped out after Ami, and a swirl of blue and green lights flashed. The two remaining Senshi joined their companions, looking no more pleasant. Jupiter quickly closed the porch door to cut off the chances of a quick escape.

Mercury took point to begin with, hoping to get the situation resolved without violence. "What exactly is going on, and why are you messing with Usagi-chan?"

Mamoru groaned. He'd almost hope they'd just slam him instead of asking questions. He decided to even the odds a bit, and stood up while transforming into Tuxedo Kamen. If necessary, he could run for it.

"The four of you can't exactly pull rank on me," he pointed out. "If I don't want to tell you, I don't have to. I only answer to my princess, and she doesn't remember that she can ask."

"We aren't in the mood to tolerate loopholes. You're outnumbered. You also should remember that as her guardians we have the right to interrogate anybody that puts her at risk. You broke her heart already, and we won't put up with it again," Mars said, lashing out.

Venus restrained her. "Remember the plan, Mars. Mercury can find out if he's lying to us. No violence unless absolutely necessary. Usagi-chan wouldn't want that."

"Usagi-chan didn't want to have her heart break every time he rejected her, either," she snapped in reply.

"Regardless," Mercury said, "we're here to find out what's going on and why. If you're not satisfied after that, then it's up to your own discretion." She turned to Tuxedo Kamen. "We do expect answers."

He sank back into the chair Makoto had tossed him into. "I don't really want to discuss it."

"Fine, then let's start with something easier. What caused the split between you and Usagi-chan?" Venus suggested.

He refused to look at them, trying to figure out how to respond. He really didn't want to tell them about the dreams.

After waiting in the silence for a few minutes, Jupiter lost her patience and let loose a little electricity, shocking him slightly.

"Ow! Hey! I'm thinking, give me a break!" He snapped, trying not to lose his temper. "I'll talk to either Venus or Mercury, alone, if I have to," he said finally.

The Senshi glanced at each other, trying to decide what to do. Venus stepped forward. "I'll handle this one, guys. He probably just thinks Ami-chan or I would be least likely to attack."

Mercury thought about for a moment then nodded, gesturing for the others to follow her. "We'll wait at the temple, Venus-chan. Call us if you need us."

After waiting to see if they had left like they promised, the blonde Senshi turned to face him. "Okay, they're gone, as per your request. Now spill."

88888888

And so the whole story came out. As the Goddess of Love, Venus had already guessed at some parts, namely that Mamoru still loved her princess and best friend, but the dreams were a surprise to her.

"Wait, let me get this straight. You broke up with Usagi-chan, the girl you love more than life itself, because of a DREAM?! What in Selene's name were you thinking?"

"I don't know if I was. I think my reasoning was that my dreams about the Moon Princess came true, so there was a chance these were going to as well. You know I would never let her die."

"You really are a baka, you know that? Why didn't you tell her instead of letting it get to this?" she demanded irately.

"I knew she wouldn't accept that and would try to stay with me regardless. She doesn't place a lot of value on her own life. The strange thing is that they stopped right after she used the Ginzuishou to erase her memories. I think that, maybe, whoever was sending me those nightmares knew that she had."

Venus paused, concern etched on her face, then abandoned her more ditzy exterior. "I hope not. That suggests there's a lot more at work here than any of us know."

The silence dragged on for a few seconds before Mamoru tried to lighten the mood a little. "On a more positive note, Usako knows more about the Senshi than you would expect."

Venus' expression showed her curiosity, so he continued. "We were at Crown with Motoki, watching one of your fights. She asked where Sailor Moon was. I looked closer and noticed that you had disguised yourself as her, so I asked her why. She said that Venus used to dress up as Sailor Moon all the time, but she didn't know how she knew that."

"Really?" Venus asked contemplatively. "Maybe we have better luck than I thought. She shouldn't have been able to remember that. It could be that her memories are already starting to come back. I hope so; we'll need her to face the coming storm."

"I hope her memories come back too, but she's stubborn. Even if they do come back, she may hide it or erase them again. I can't shake the feeling that our enemy has some sort of unusual interest in her beyond trying to see us all dead."

Venus nodded. "We'll be keeping a closer eye on her. I can't speak for the other Senshi, but I think you should keep getting closer to her. I'll work on them. Once she does remember, she'll need you."

She turned to leave, then stopped again. "By the way, we could use your help in the battles. I think Usagi does more than just dust them for us. It's like we all get tired more easily without her." She made the grabbing motion that indicated reaching into her sub-space pocket, and a dark blue and gold wrist communicator like the Senshi's fell into her hand. "Luna made this for you a while ago. She had planned on giving it to you shortly after you got your memories, but then you broke up with Usagi-chan."

He caught the wrist unit as she tossed it. "Wouldn't it be foolish to leave her alone during battles? What if we're right and the enemy is after her?"

"Oh, we won't. You and the rest of the Senshi can rotate between which of you stay with her during battles. I'm the only one that has to be there every time."

She walked out onto the porch and waved. "I'll talk to the Senshi. I think they'll agree with me with a little persuasion. See you later!"

He moved to the porch as well, watching as she hopped down the side of the building. "I hope you're right, Minako-chan. I really hope you're right."

88888888

"Mamoru-san, ohayo!" Usagi chirped as she walked into the arcade.

"It's a little late to say good morning, Usagi-chan," he chided gently, taking a glance at his watch.

"It is?" She looked at hers. "Oh, it is. I thought it was earlier. I have no idea why."

Motoki walked over to the counter. "Konnichiwa, Usagi-chan. Your usual?" He asked as he reached for a milkshake glass.

Mamoru considered for a moment. The Senshi, with considerable reluctance on Rei's and Makoto's parts, had agreed to let him spend time with Usagi, so he was safe on that front. "Actually, I have a better idea. There's a fair in town, and I was looking for someone to go with. You interested, Usa-chan?"

She sat up straight, nodding as fast as she could. "I love the fair! Arigato, Mamoru-san!"

He laughed. "All right, get your stuff then. If you want, you can have Motoki-kun make that milkshake for you to go, my treat."

Motoki looked at his best friend incredulously. 'Mamoru going to the fair? Has hell frozen over without my knowing? He hates huge social gatherings.' He took a good look at the way he was staring at Usagi. 'But then, for her, he'd probably walk through fire. I'm sure Mars would be willing to oblige.' Mamoru had filled the arcade owner in on his difficulty with the other Senshi.

"Motoki-onii-san, could I have my shake to go please?" Usagi asked, her adorable puppy-dog pout firmly in place.

"Hai, of course, Usagi-chan. Anything for my favorite customer," he chuckled.

"Hey, I thought I was your favorite customer," Mamoru objected.

"Hardly. You just sit at the counter and act like a grouch while drinking ridiculous amounts of coffee for the most part. People don't come back here to see that. On the other hand, my customers adore her."

Usagi giggled. "Thanks, Motoki-onii-san. Mamoru-san can't be that bad, though. He doesn't seem to be a grouch."

"Shows what you remember," he muttered just as Mamoru's elbow was applied to his rib cage. "Ow…"

"Something wrong, onii-san?" She asked worriedly.

"Iie, of course not, Usagi-chan. Here's your milkshake. You two have fun, okay?"

"We will!" She squealed while tugging her companion out the door.

"I hope he doesn't regret doing that," Motoki laughed, watching the tiny blonde lead the way.

88888888

Naturally, Usagi adored the fair. She loved the games, she loved the rides, and she adored the food. It really was a good thing that Mamoru had a large fortune to pay for everything.

"Oh, Mamoru-san, I love those Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen plushies. Aren't they kawaii?" She asked, although she suddenly heard him coughing. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he managed after bringing himself back under control. "They're okay, I guess. Aren't plushies a girl thing?"

"I wish I was better at those dart games. I'm really good at Frisbee; why didn't the Frisbee booth have those?"

Mamoru sternly ordered himself not to start laughing. "Which one do you want? Sailor Moon?"

"Hmm? Oh, iie. I'd rather have the Tuxedo Kamen one. He's soooo pretty," she cooed.

'Pretty? Is that how girls think of me?' He wondered, then shrugged. "Let's see if I can win one."

He turned to the booth operator. "How much for the Tuxedo Kamen plushie?"

"Have to pop all ten balloons without missing," the man replied boredly. Everyone always wanted the best prize, but no one had managed it. "100 yen."

Mamoru tossed the man the coin and accepted his ten darts. "Think I can do this, Usagi-chan?"

"I don't know. Are you good at darts?"

"I'm not really sure, I haven't thrown actual darts in a long time," he answered.

"Actual darts? What?" Her adorably confused expression had him working to keep from laughing again.

"It's nothing, Usagi-chan. Here goes," he said, tossing the first dart almost carelessly. Of course, it hit the first balloon dead center.

"Wow… I want you to teach me how to do that," Usagi informed him.

"I don't really know if I can, Usa. I'm not always sure how I do it," Mamoru said, scratching his head.

He decided he felt like showing off a little, so after he threw six more darts, each one finding its mark perfectly, he took the last three up at once.

"Does anybody think I can hit the last three all at once?" he asked with a wicked grin on his face.

Usagi nodded, admiration shining on her face. He really had missed having her look at him like that.

A man from the hair with curious light hair and blue-violet eyes yelled out, "Absolutely not! There's no way you can hit all three at once!"

"Care to bet on that?" Mamoru asked casually.

"Sure. If you win, I'll give you 10,000 yen. And if I win… I get to kiss that girl you're with."

"You what?" Mamoru snarled, eyes narrowing dangerously. "No way, I'm not taking this bet."

"Mamoru-san, it's okay," Usagi assured him. "I know you'll be able to do it." She lifted her big eyes to his face. "I believe in you."

He felt the iciness in his heart melting when she gave him that look. She'd get her way, like she always did.

"All right," he muttered, still trying to contain his temper. When the jerk in the crowd had come up with that, it had taken all of Mamoru's iron self control not to use him as a rose cushion.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, willing his Tuxedo Kamen instincts to take over. 'It's to protect the Princess,' he reminded himself, 'and to make her happy with that plushie.'

He turned and faced away from his target, just to show off a bit more, then threw all three darts at once. He didn't have to face the stand to know he'd pulled it off; he'd heard the three balloons deflating and Usagi's happy gasp. Shock rippled through the crowd.

The booth operator's jaw dropped open. "How did you do that?" He gaped.

"Can I have the Tuxedo Kamen plushie now?" Mamoru asked impatiently. He wanted to get his Usako away from that strange man.

"Sure, mister, here it is."

Mamoru took the toy and handed it to Usagi, who immediately hugged it close.

"That was amazing, Mamoru-san! How did you do that?"

He shrugged slightly. "I just thought about how happy it would make you and threw the darts," he told her, purposely excluding the part of him that wanted to mention ripping the other guy to shreds.

He turned toward the crowd to collect the winnings from the bet, but the man had curiously vanished. He frowned, turning his attention back to Usagi. He didn't know why, but he was getting the feeling that they were being watched.

"Oh, I love Tuxedo Kamen," she squealed, hugging the doll again. "He's so awesome, always saving Sailor Moon like that, and he's just sooo amazing."

As she was talking, a large gold star locket swung forward, catching Mamoru's attention.

"Where'd you get that?" He asked, feigning ignorance.

"Where did I get what? Oh, the locket. I don't really know; I just saw it in my room this morning and felt like I should have it with me," she replied, puzzlement showing on her face.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink, Usagi-chan?" Mamoru asked, trying to change the subject. If she asked if he knew anything, he didn't think he'd be able to lie.

She paused and thought about it for a moment. "Ice cream!" she decided.

Mamoru just had to laugh. His Usako, she never changed. "Ice cream it is, then. Chocolate, I assume?"

"Hai!" She said, giggling.

"Do you mind waiting here? I'll be right back. I wouldn't want you to get your new toy dirty."

"Okay," she said, sitting down on a nearby bench. "Don't take too long," Usagi ordered.

"I won't, I won't," he assured her. "I'll be back before you know it."

As he headed over to the nearest ice cream stand, Mamoru started to hear some screaming, and not of the 'I'm enjoying a roller coaster' variety. Making sure he was far enough away from Usagi that she couldn't see him, he moved to investigate.

A very large and ugly droid was perched on the side of the Ferris wheel, attempting to pull the door off of one of the carriages. Mamoru instantly flipped open his communicator and hit the "call all" button.

"Senshi, we have a droid at the fair. It's trying to attack a bunch of people in the Ferris wheel, but it doesn't seem to be after anyone in particular, energy, nothing. We may have a rogue on our hands. I don't know if I'll be able to help; I'm here with Usako, and she'll suspect if I take much longer."

"Copy that, Mamoru," Ami replied. "Try to distract it if you can, but make sure Usagi-chan is safe. It may just be a diversion. My ETA is in 2.39 minutes."

"I should be there in about the same," Rei added, coming on to the line, "And Jupiter will be with me. Venus?"

"I hear you, and I'm on my way," Minako chimed. "I should be there in less than a minute, Mamoru-san, so get back to Usagi-chan ASAP."

"Got it. You four need to hurry up; this thing is doing some terrible damage."

Mamoru flipped his communicator shut and raced to get Usagi's ice cream, hoping she wouldn't notice how long he'd been gone. He really wanted to just get straight back to her, but she'd be suspicious if he went for something and didn't get it.

88888888

Usagi was bouncing on the edge of her seat, eager for ice cream and to continue her enjoyable day. She was really happy to be spending her time with Mamoru.

'He seems like a really great guy… Why do I feel like I already know him? He's so nice to me, but sometimes he looks at me and he looks so sad. Did he know someone that looked like me and something happened to them?' She wondered, waiting for him to come back.

Suddenly she heard a rush of air behind her, and, thinking it was Mamoru, asked, "What took so long?"

"Why, Serenity, I didn't know you were waiting," Dimande smirked.

Usagi whirled around, something immediately setting her on edge. "Serenity? I'm sorry; you must have mistaken me for someone else." She started to back away, ready to scream.

He took a few steps closer, keeping her within arm's length. "Oh, iie, I have the right person. You just don't remember that part of yourself. Now, if you'd just come with me before Endymion comes back, we'll be all set. It would be a shame if we wasted the diversion I created."

"Endymion?" Usagi asked, rapidly becoming confused. "Who are you and what do you want with me?"

"I think I'll explain the majority of that later, but my name is Prince Dimande. Now, Serenity, come with me," he ordered as his third eye flashed, stilling her screams before they could start.

88888888

AN: Ooh, a cliff-hanger. Aren't I evil? Probably not, considering I'm probably posting the next part by the time anyone reads this. Oh, well. Come on, people, please review! Any comments are welcome! If I know what you want, there's a better chance of you getting it. Bye!


	3. Part III

AN: Hi, me again

AN: Don't own Sailor Moon, happy yet? Anyway, another chapter. Even though I only started posting this today. Whatever.

88888888

Mamoru desperately shoved his way through the crowd as best he could, at the same time trying not to drop Usagi's ice cream. Something was telling him that she was in danger, and he wanted to get there as soon as possible.

He burst back into the little picnic area where he'd left her, and was horrified to see that she was gone. He spotted something lying on the grass near her bench, and moved closer to investigate. His heart nearly stopped when he saw what it was.

He flipped his communicator button and called the Senshi. "Minna, we have a serious problem. What's the situation with the droid?"

"We don't know," Mercury replied. "It vanished about 7.04 seconds before you called. I believe it decided to escape. What's wrong?"

"Usako is missing. I think someone took her. Her new plushie and the star locket were lying on the ground near where I left her," he said tersely.

"Where are you?" Mars demanded. "We'll be there as fast as we can."

He gave them the coordinates quickly, hoping against all hope she'd left on her own and had just forgotten her things. He knew it was incredibly unlikely, but he had to believe it for the sake of his sanity.

The Senshi raced to his side, Mars gasping as she was hit with the negative energy, but no sooner than they arrived than an image formed in front of them.

"So sorry, Sailor Senshi, but your princess and I have some business to conduct. I think I'll keep her, Endymion, she really is quite appealing," Dimande smirked.

"Who are you and what have you done with her?" Mars screamed, ready to use her Burning Mandala.

"It won't work, Mars, so don't bother," Mercury cautioned. "It's a hologram, a moving picture."

"Very good, Mercury, but that won't help you. I don't think even you can find Serenity now. My name is Prince Dimande of Nemesis. You may remember me from the Silver Millennium, I don't really know, and since I don't care to tell you anymore, I think I'll go now. Have fun trying to find her. You'll fail, of course" With that, the projection vanished.

"What?! Iie! Come back here, you cowardly slime ball!" Jupiter yelled.

A second distortion rippled the air, and the group took a step back. The image of a tall woman wearing the fuku of a Senshi appeared.

"Don't be alarmed, Sailor Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen. My name is Sailor Pluto, the Senshi of Time, and I come bearing some news. I may be able to help you find our princess," she informed them.

88888888

Usagi woke up in a strange room, feeling very dizzy. Once her head stopped spinning, she sat up and looked around. The entire area seemed to be made of some variety of dark-colored crystal, but she couldn't understand it. It just felt _wrong_, like there was something about it that she was allergic to.

"It's nice to see you awake, Serenity," said a voice from a doorway that hadn't been there a few seconds before.

It took her a few moments, but she recognized the man. "It's you… you're the one I saw at the fair. Why do you keep calling me Serenity? That's not my name. I think you have the wrong person," she informed him, desperately working to maintain some semblance of calm.

"I know exactly who you are, Tsukino Usagi, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium, better than you do yourself. You were a fool to erase your memories, but it made my job much easier. Endymion must be quite mad at me," Dimande smirked.

"You mentioned Endymion before, too. Who is he, and who are you? You said your name, but I still don't know who you are."

"Like I said, my name is Prince Dimande. I'm the leader of the Black Moon Clan, and this is our Earth base in the thirtieth century. You don't remember Endymion because you didn't want to, although you currently know him under a different name. I'm sure you're familiar with Chiba Mamoru?" Dimande drawled as he seated himself next in a chair that had just appeared.

"Mamoru-san? Why would anyone call him Endymion? What is going on, and what do you want with me?" she demanded as she tried to stand up, only barely noticing the strange clothing she was wearing.

"Tsk, tsk, Serenity. You aren't strong enough to move around," Dimande laughed, forcing her to sit back down. "Endymion is unimportant now. You're here because you belong to me. You'll be queen after I finish conquering Earth in your future, my present."

"Why would you be conquering Earth? What did it ever do to you? And I'm _no one's_ property," she said firmly, unconsciously drawing on the strength of will she'd developed as Sailor Moon.

"Says the girl that can't even stand up. I don't feel like sharing this planet, so I'm taking control. My clan doesn't want to stay on Nemesis."

"You know, I don't care who you are or who you think I am, but I won't stay here. I just want to go home and live my life."

"You still don't understand? You're never leaving. This is your home now, and your life." Dimande turned, chuckling lightly.

"Iie! Don't leave me in here! You have to let me out!" Usagi yelled as she hit the wall with her fists as the door vanished.

She crumpled to the floor, tears blinding her. "Where am I? I want to go home. I need you, Mamo-chan…"

88888888

_Mamo-chan…_

Mamoru glanced up, shocked to hear Usagi's nickname for him.

"Sailor Pluto, do you know where Usako is?" he demanded. Their link was still there, but it felt tenuous, and he didn't think he could trace it back to her.

"She was taken through time to the thirtieth century, to Crystal Tokyo. That time and place is Small Lady's home as well. She couldn't hear me when I tried to call to her," Pluto responded.

"Small Lady's home? Who is that? Why would Usagi-chan be there?" Mars asked desperately. "She can't do anything without the Ginzuishou."

"You know Small Lady as Chibiusa in this time, I believe. My princess did not go willingly. She was taken through by someone who seems to have found a way to travel without my permission or one of my Time Keys. Small Lady carries one," she informed them.

"Who took her?" Mercury asked, trying to get all the facts.

"The leader of the Black Moon Clan. He calls himself Prince Dimande. I believe you've seen him today, Endymion. You were quite furious at him," she said, turning to face Mamoru.

"It's Mamoru when I'm not transformed," he said automatically, trying to understand who Pluto meant. "Wait… could it have been that man that made that ridiculous bet when I won Usako that plushie?"

"It was indeed. He was trying to keep an eye on the two of you, in order to see if his distraction could separate you long enough for him to take her."

Mamoru was growling softly, so Venus decided to ask a few more questions. "Can we get to her?"

"I'll send you through time myself, but beyond that point you'll have to do the rest. I'm not allowed to leave my post. I would suggest you leave Small Lady with me. She'd be safe until you rescue my princess."

"Will there be anyone in the future that can help us?" Jupiter asked.

"The King of Crystal Tokyo may assist you if he still can, but I don't know. You may have to find her on your own. Mars, I believe you carry my princess's Ginzuishou?"

"Hai, I do," she replied, "She made careful arrangements before she erased her memory. I assume you know about that?"

"I do indeed. My princess, depressed from when her prince broke her heart, decided that it was better to erase her memories and attempt to live a normal life again. She left her Scepter with Sailor Venus, and gave the Ginzuishou to you. The prince had been having terrible nightmares, but they stopped right after that, so he started to get close to her again. Does that about sum it up?"

They nodded grimly. "Is everyone ready to go now?" Mercury asked.

Mamoru shook his head. "One of us needs to get Chibiusa. Pluto said she would protect her, so we should take her up on that. If something happened to Chibiusa while we were gone, I don't know what we would have to do next."

"I'll get her," Jupiter volunteered. "I can run faster than the rest of you."

"Thanks, Jupiter-chan," Venus said. "Let's get ready to go."

All four girls turned and stared at Mamoru. He quickly understood that they wanted him to leave before he transformed, so he said, "Instead of Jupiter getting Chibiusa, why don't I? My henshin's fast enough."

Mars thought about it for a moment. "That's a good idea. Now go away."

He rolled his eyes, then sprinted up the path, transforming once he was out of sight.

"Pluto, can you tell us anything about where to find Usagi-chan?" Mars asked.

"She'll be at the Black Moon Clan's base, most likely, but beyond that I see little. Their powers hide them from my sight. Your powers may tell you more, Mars, once you get close enough. You'll be able to feel their base, I'm sure," Pluto replied.

Tuxedo Kamen skidded to a stop behind them, Chibiusa clutching his neck. She saw her friend and immediately jumped off.

"Puu! Can I go home now?"

"I'm sorry, Small Lady, but it's still not safe. Your friends are leaving you with me for safe-keeping while they go after the Black Moon Clan," she gently informed the child.

"That's not fair! I want to go too…" Chibiusa protested. "I want to see Mommy!"

"Pluto?" Jupiter asked, turning to face her. "Can you tell us what happened in the future? What happened that it brought Chibiusa-chan here?"

"That story is not mine to tell, and Small Lady had been instructed not to talk about the future. Time is fluid, and there is no guarantee that her future will come to pass. Normally I could not allow you to travel at all, but it is dire need that prompts me."

"You called Usagi-chan your princess," Mercury observed. "Does that mean that you're one of her guardians, the same as us?"

Pluto smiled slightly. "In a fashion, I am, but not one of her personal guard like you. I protect Princess Serenity from a distance, as best I can."

Venus raised her hand as if she were in class. "If there's us, and you're a Sailor Senshi as well, does that mean that the other planets have Senshi too?"

"I'm afraid I can't speak of such matters. Time is of the essence. My princess, our princess, is already in grave danger, and I fear that danger grows the longer she is outside your protection. Small Lady?"

"Hai, Puu?" the small child responded.

"Small Lady, would you be so kind as to use your Time Key to bring all of you to the Door? You're to stay with me, though," Pluto added firmly. "No wandering off this time."

Chibiusa nodded, a downcast expression on her face. "Hai, Puu. But, Puu, will the Key work now? It didn't work any other time I tried."

"I think you should know how to use it now. You may have known all along, but something prevented you from leaving until it was necessary. If you're ready?"

Chibiusa reached under her school uniform and pulled out a small golden key, a pink gem in the loop at the top, as she began to speak quietly. The Senshi couldn't hear what she said, but a strong wind picked, and a pink cloud formed a circle above them. Chibiusa was still speaking.

"I call out your secret name, Chronos, guardian of Time! Open the path of light! Guide me through time and space!" Chibiusa shouted, completing the spell.

The Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, and Chibiusa rose, pulled through the pink cloud and into darkness.

88888888

While her friends moved in the first step to attempt to rescue her, Usagi was slumped against the wall, tears still coursing down her face. The weakness she had felt after waking up hadn't faded, but instead seemed to continue to grow until she barely had the energy to move.

"Why? Why is this happening to me? What's going on?" she kept crying. Without realizing what she was saying, another sentence came unbidden. "Mamo-chan, I need you!"

"Oh, is the poor little princess sad?" taunted an unknown person as the doorway reappeared.

Usagi looked up to see a strange woman, dressed in a dark green outfit with a much lighter shade of green for hair. She stood up shakily, leaning on the wall.

"Who… who are you?" she asked, trying to disguise the trembling.

"Oh, don't look so petrified, baka. I'm not going to hurt you, as much as I'd like to. I was sent to give you some food. My name is Green Esmeraude. I serve under Dimande-sama," she announced arrogantly.

"Please, can't you just let me leave? Your prince has mistaken me for someone else," Usagi pleaded desperately. "I don't belong here; I just want to go home."

"If I did let you go, it would cost me my life. For whatever reason, Dimande-sama wants you here. What he wants, he gets. Do you want this food or not?" she demanded irritably.

Usagi bit her lip. "Is it safe?" she asked tentatively.

Esmeraude rolled her eyes. "Would it make you feel better if I ate a little? He's not going to poison you, you little twit. He wouldn't have gone to all this hassle if he just wanted you dead."

Usagi stared at her for a few more seconds, then tentatively began to approach, still leaning on the wall for support.

"I'll take that, Esmeraude," Dimande said as he walked in.

"Hai, Dimande-sama," she said, bowing as she handed him the tray.

He turned and stared at Usagi for a moment. "Help Serenity back to the bed," he ordered imperiously. "She's about to collapse."

Esmeraude walked over to the smaller girl and easily lifted her, despite Usagi's weak struggling, carrying her back to the bed.

"Iie, I don't want to," she cried, trying to break free.

"Do calm down, Serenity. You're not doing anything except stressing yourself out. You really aren't all that strong at the moment," Dimande lectured.

"I wonder whose fault that is. I wouldn't be under any stress if I wasn't here," she snapped. As Esmeraude set her back on the bed, she immediately tried to stand up again. All it resulted in was her falling, hitting her knees while leaning against the frame.

"You may as well get used to it," Esmeraude told her as she helped her back up. "Dimande-sama doesn't give in. You'll be here for the rest of your life."

Usagi's already fair skin drained of color entirely. "The rest… of my life? Iie, you can't do that to me!" she shrieked. "I have a life, family and friends! You have to let me go!"

Esmeraude turned to Prince Dimande for directions, who gestured for her to leave. She slipped out of the room as quietly as she could, leaving the Prince alone with the frightened teen.

88888888

The Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen were all standing in front of the great Door of Time-Space when Tuxedo Kamen paused.

"She's upset," he murmured when they turned to him inquisitively. "I don't think she realizes she's let me back in. I don't know what's causing it; I'm too far away to see."

The Senshi all looked worried at the news. Venus, trying to remain optimistic, offered, "Couldn't she just be upset about being a captive?"

Tuxedo Kamen thought about it, but shook his head. "She was upset ever since I've been feeling her again, but something made it spike. She seems awfully weak, too. I'm having to work to reach out to her. Normally, even if it's subconscious, she helps."

"Maybe some of her memories are coming back and they're distressing her," Mercury said. "She has some very painful memories, and that could make her more scared than she already was to begin with."

"Maybe," he acknowledged, " but I don't think so. She would reach out to me if she could remember. I think some outside source caused it. She's still very upset, but it feels like she's slipping away."

"She must be losing consciousness, then," Mars decided. "If she's as weak and upset as you say, it's not that unlikely. Stress on her mind or body could easily cause it."

"Do you think she's injured?" Jupiter asked worriedly.

"I don't know. Like I said, she seems weak. It could be the stress of time travel or being kidnapped, or she could have been injured. I'm inclined to think it's mental, though. Physical pain makes her reach out, but when she's hurting emotionally she can bottle up."

"That's not like Usagi-chan," Mars argued. "She always wears her heart on her sleeve."

"To an extent, you're right," Tuxedo Kamen countered, "but do you remember how she reacted after Beryl took me? According to all of you, she sort of pulled in and cut herself off from everyone else."

Mercury nodded thoughtfully. "It's true enough, but it takes a lot to elicit that kind of response from her. We need to reach her as quickly as possible."

"Minna?" Pluto called. "I have the gates calibrated to the right time. I didn't want to run the risk of losing you to a Time storm. You won't have to go through the Halls of Time; it will deposit you directly at the Queen's entrance to my domain."

"You mentioned the King of Crystal Tokyo before, Pluto," Jupiter said. "Can you give us any instructions on how to find him?"

"If the King is available to help, he'll come to you," she informed them. "There is an alert that will sound in the Crystal Tokyo control room when someone uses the Queen's door. If he hears it, he'll respond."

She raised her Time Staff and pointed it at the doors, unlocking them and flinging them open. "You must go quickly, before the clock strikes. I cannot hold such a direct time link for long. Small Lady will be safe with me; have no fear. Go!"

At Pluto's order, the five heroes raced forward, dashing through the gate into the future, desperate to find their missing princess. Both Pluto and Chibiusa waved as they ran.

"Good luck, minna," Chibiusa whispered. "I think you'll need it."

88888888

"Just go away," Usagi sobbed. "I don't want to be here… where are you, Mamo-chan?"

Hearing his foe's name forced Dimande to jerk back as if he had been hit in the gut. "What did you just say?" he demanded as he grabbed her, shaking her fiercely.

She blinked for a moment, until her eyes focused on the man that had just grabbed her. "Let go of me!"

He ignored her, shaking her again. "What did you just say?" he demanded again.

She frowned, obviously confused. "Something along the lines of not wanting to be here. Now let me go!"

She stomped on his foot, forcing him to step away again. He tossed her onto the bed, disgust on his face. "You call for your prince to come save you, don't you? You remember, and yet you pretend."

"My prince? Remember?" Usagi was mystified. She really was beginning to think this strange man was insane, even beyond kidnapping someone he didn't know.

"Do you have any idea what you said?" he asked, starting to become confused himself. It had obviously been her nickname for the Terran prince that had come from her lips, yet she didn't seem to remember saying anything.

She shook her head, still confused and terrified. He had looked like he was about to slap her for a moment. "Can't you just let me go?" she tried again. "I'm obviously not the person you think I am."

He stared at her. "Why would you not be the person I think you are? You may force yourself to forget, Serenity, but you didn't take away everyone else's memory in the process."

"But that's just it!" she nearly exploded. "My name is not Serenity! I still don't know who you are or how you supposedly know me! You keep talking about this Endymion person, then you tell me he's Mamoru-san! You're making absolutely no sense!"

Dimande laughed. "Whatever you call yourself at the moment, I know who you are. I'm not going to let you leave. I hope you like this room, since you'll never go anywhere else again."

88888888

Mist broke from the Queen's passage to Pluto's post as five travelers appeared. They walked forward until they stood on a ridge overlooking Crystal Tokyo.

"Oh, iie…" Mercury whispered. "What's happened here?"

"It's all frozen," Venus gasped. "I don't think there's anybody still alive down there."

Mars stood up as straight as she could. "Dead or not, we need to investigate. I don't like it either, but there may be some clues to help us in the ruins."

Tuxedo Kamen agreed with her. "We may find something to tell us more about the Black Moon Clan and why they're attacking this time as well as ours. According to Chibiusa, they're the reason she fled from here in the first place."

Jupiter scowled. "Anyone that messes with our princess has to answer to me. Mars? Do you think you'll be able to find her?"

Mars shrugged. "I can try to trace the evil energies back to their source, but they might muffle any of Usagi-chan's power. If she still had the Ginzuishou, it would be a different matter entirely."

Mercury tentatively asked, "Do you think you could use the Ginzuishou to find her? It's attuned to her naturally, so it may give us a better chance."

"Very clever, Sailor Mercury," a new voice said.

The group spun, turning to face the newcomer. He was standing in the shadows, so he was very difficult to see.

"Relax, minna. Pluto told you to look for me, I think," the man continued.

"You're the King of Crystal Tokyo, then?" Venus asked cautiously. "Let us see you."

"As you wish," he said as he took a few steps forward.

A collective gasp rose from the group. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama!"

They turned and looked at Mamoru. "Another Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" Mars asked. "What's going on?"

"Will you let me explain?" the King asked patiently. He waited for the others to nod before continuing. "My name is King Endymion. You see, I'm your Tuxedo Kamen in the future."

88888888

Dimande paced his throne room. Serenity claimed to have no idea what he was talking about, and yet she had called for the Terran prince as if she knew him. Before he could work to decipher what was going on, a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," Dimande called absently.

"Onii-san, a group of people just entered this era from the Queen's old doorway. It may be her child and whatever support she's gathered," Saphir informed him as he slipped through the door.

"I doubt Neo Queen Serenity's daughter would actually tell anyone who she was. Do you have any further information?" Dimande inquired.

"There are five, and they were met by someone, I think- they changed directions after pausing for a few minutes. The person that met them may have been the King's hologram."

"I really do hate Endymion; he's such a busybody. For now, go with the assumption that it is the Sailor Senshi from the twentieth century. It's probably Tuxedo Kamen as well. Send Esmeraude to kill them quickly," he ordered.

"Onii-san, is this a good idea? Holding the future queen here like this? She's terrified, and doesn't seem to have any idea at all of what's going on."

"The less she knows, the less likely it is that Serenity will be able to tell Endymion how to find her. They have a psychic bond, you know, and the Endymion of the past may already be discovering his telepathic ability," Dimande replied. "Make sure you tell Esmeraude that under no conditions is Endymion to be allowed to survive."

"Onii-san… I'll tell her, but I don't agree. Serenity isn't without powers of her own."

"Actually, in this situation, she mostly is. She gave the Ginzuishou to someone else for safekeeping, so she can't even draw on it enough to gain strength. The Evil Black Crystal is keeping her very weak. If she were allowed to get stronger, she may remember how to summon it."

"So the Ginzuishou is the source of her powers? Doesn't Neo Queen Serenity have powers she uses without the Ginzuishou?" Saphir questioned.

"She does, but her past self probably hasn't developed to that point yet. Like her mother before her, Serenity's power is nurtured by the Ginzuishou. Without it or one of her transforming tools, she has no power to resist us in her time."

Dimande waited a few seconds to see if his younger brother had any questions before saying, "Are you waiting to be told to leave, or is there something else you want to say?"

"Iie… that's all, onii-san. I'll go find Esmeraude right away," Saphir stated. He bowed, then left quietly.

Dimande resumed his pacing, trying to understand how exactly the Ginzuishou had dealt with Serenity's memories. 'It's unlikely that it would completely erase them. They're probably hidden, waiting for a trigger to bring them out. I need to figure out what that trigger is and make sure she never encounters it.'

88888888

"Say what?! Usagi-chan is Neo Queen Serenity, and Chibiusa-chan's mother?" Mars screamed. "When exactly did this happen?"

Tuxedo Kamen glared at her. "Can it, Mars. I think Usako and I should know that before you do." He turned to face his future self. "Can you tell us where to find her?"

"I know where she is, but only because I found out for myself when it happened. I'm afraid you'll have to find her on your own," King Endymion replied calmly. "I would go with you and help, but this hologram would fail too far from the palace."

"You know, you don't act like you're overly worried," Venus observed. "Aren't you scared that the past won't play out the same way as it did for you?"

"It's always a possibility, but after so many years, Serenity has proven herself to have remarkable endurance. Somehow, she always manages to find trouble, hai, but she also ends up coming out okay," Endymion stated. "I'm sure in your time you've already seen some proof of this. Did any of you expect to come back from the fight with Queen Beryl alive?"

"Well… iie," Jupiter admitted. "But Usagi-chan had the Ginzuishou then. Without it, she's pretty much powerless, especially since she doesn't have her memories."

"The Ginzuishou always directs some of its power to protect its wielder. It may not work in obvious ways, but it shields her from general harm," Endymion informed them. "Even now, as Mars carries it, part of its energy is finding her and keeping her as safe as it can."

"Is there any way to track that power flow to find her?" Mercury asked, always practical.

"It probably is, but I don't think that anybody outside of the Royal Lunarians could find it. There are very few descendants left, and the majority of that power was concentrated in Serenity and Small Lady."

"Well, we'll just go back to plan A, then," Venus decided. "We'll have Mars look for the highest concentration of evil energy. She'll probably be in there."

"I hope she's not sick, though," Mars worried. "Usagi's powers are so opposite of the energy of the Black Moon Clan that it could react negatively with the leftover energy from the Ginzuishou. At the very least, surrounding her with so much negative energy could severely deplete her strength."

"Could that be what caused Mamoru-san to say that she felt weak earlier?" Jupiter asked, turning to face the two versions of him.

Each of them exchanged looks. "I think I probably understand the bond between us better at this time," King Endymion said. "Any number of things could have caused her to feel weak earlier, but it's highly likely that it's the negative energy. Serenity's body functions purely on positive energy, and she carries a high concentration of it with her from continual exposure to the Ginzuishou. In your time, she's carried the Ginzuishou for a shorter period of time, but it definitely would have created a large build-up of the positive charge."

Tuxedo Kamen nodded. "That's probably part of the reason she's so necessary in a fight. Her positive energy is stronger than the negative energy carried by the minor monsters we fight, so it weakens them instead of her while strengthening us."

"But we're right in assuming that we'll find her when we find a huge concentration of negative power?" Mars asked.

"It's the best guess we have," Mercury said. "King Endymion said he couldn't help us any more than he already has, and that's really the only sort of place that could contain Usagi-chan."

Before they could make any more solid plans or ask any more questions, an alarm sounded. The King turned and walked to a wall panel, activating a screen.

"There's a number of droids attempting to breach the palace defenses," he said. "The Senshi won't be able to maintain the shield if they push for too long."

The Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen exchanged looks. "We'll take the fight to them, then," Jupiter said. "I'm tired of subterfuge anyway."

"Esmeraude is leading them," Mercury informed them while studying her own computer reading. "The King's computer is far more advanced, but mine recognized Esmeraude's energy signature."

"Go on the assumption that they're here to kill us," Venus ordered. "There's a strong chance this was set up to keep us from reaching Usagi-chan."

"Everyone ready?" Mars asked. The group nodded. "Good, let's go take down some droids."

88888888

AN: I pick terrible places to cut off the chapters, don't I? Reviews always appreciated. Till later!


	4. Part IV

AN: Me again

AN: Me again. Don't own Sailor Moon, you get the point. This time around, things start to heat up a bit, so please tell me what you think. Hope you enjoy!

88888888

"Hello again, Princess," Dimande greeted as he entered her room.

"Why do you do that?" she asked.

"Do what?" he asked, confused again. What was the silly girl talking about now? She was so strange.

"Why do you call me princess? I'm not a princess, and since I don't plan on marrying a prince, I don't see myself becoming one either," she stated matter-of-factly.

He stared at her for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. "Do you still believe that?" he gasped between chuckles.

"Don't make fun of me," she muttered. "I was just pointing out the obvious."

"You are Princess Serenity, you know," he said, still chuckling. "Your hair is proof enough."

"My hair? What are you talking about?" she demanded. She hated it when people made fun of her hairstyle.

_Odango Atama_… whispered through her brain. 'Why does that sound so familiar?' she wondered.

"Your mother had the exact same style," he replied, still staring at her with a strange expression on his face.

"My mother doesn't do her hair like-," she started to say before he interrupted.

"Not the woman in your time that you call mother. Your true mother, the woman that ruled the Silver Millennium, wore her like that all the time. The only difference is that her hair was silver, but yours is like the sun."

"I think you're delusional," she informed him loftily. "Now if you'll excuse me…"

She raced for the doorway, relying on her unusually fast running to get her out before he caught her. Unfortunately for her, she had been unconscious while he brought her there, so she didn't remember that he could teleport. He appeared right in front of her and grabbed both of her pigtails.

"Ow! Let go of me! Let me go!" she shrieked. If he had been human, his eardrums might have burst. She continued to yell as he pulled her back across the room and to the bed. She was really starting to hate that bed.

She finally yanked free and glared at him, temper shining in her eyes. She was tensed and ready to run again, if given half a chance.

"Those are the eyes… " the Prince murmured before focusing. "If you behaved yourself, Serenity, I wouldn't have to keep you locked up, but since you obviously can't just accept your new life with even a semblance of good grace…" Dimande said as he conjured up a manacle. One end was secured to the headboard of the bed, and he quickly caught her arm and clapped the other around her wrist.

"Baka!" she yelled. "You let me out of here right now, or Endymion will make you pay!"

A golden crescent moon blazed to life across her forehead, momentarily blinding Dimande. During that flash, the gown he had picked for her vanished, replaced with Princess Serenity's.

"You will let me go," the princess ordered coldly. "Endymion-sama will never tolerate this insult."

"Nice to see that you've woken up to your true self, Serenity. Forgive me, but I don't think Endymion will be a problem anymore. I just sent a number of my servants to kill him and your Senshi," he snapped.

She paled. "You wouldn't."

"I would, and I did. I'm not letting him take you back again. I'm a patient man, Serenity. I've already waited two thousand years for an opportunity, and I'm not going to miss a chance to see your precious prince dead."

"Is that why you kidnapped me- her?" she demanded. "To lure Endymion to a trap? And why do you say again?"

"Hardly," Dimande scoffed. "Endymion foolishly left you alone, which was exactly what I wanted. Seeing him dead will just be a nice bonus. You aren't leaving, Serenity. I'll make sure of that. Your mother isn't keeping me away this time."

88888888

The droids were long since defeated, largely due to the discovery of Tuxedo Kamen's newest power. Esmeraude was the only one left, but she was fighting hard, determined to take them down with her.

"Give it up, Esmeraude!" Mars called. "You're outnumbered and outclassed."

"I'll fulfill my orders if it's the last thing I do," she snarled. "You won't live out the night."

"We can and will," Venus taunted. "VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN!"

Esmeraude jumped to the side, but Mars had anticipated it. "BURNING MANDALA!"

The green-haired woman only barely had a chance to throw a shield before Mars' attack hit. "You can't defeat me, Senshi! Not without your beloved Sailor Moon!"

"Don't underestimate us!" Mercury shouted as Jupiter rammed into Esmeraude, sending them both crashing into the ground. She quickly extracted herself and bolted away before Esmeraude could recover.

"Tuxedo Kamen! Together!" Venus called. "MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

"TUXEDO LA SMOKING BOMBER!"

The combined attacks hit Esmeraude as she started to stand. While it didn't dust her as they expected, she was obviously injured.

"I don't die so easily," she sneered. "Chiral! Achiral!"

Two more droids appeared to either side of her. "Kill them!" she ordered.

The twins turned to face the group, who hadn't expected any more droids.

Venus quickly improvised. "Mercury, Jupiter, you take that one. Mars, you're with me. Tuxedo Kamen, cover our backs."

"Got it!" the group responded, quickly moving against the targets.

"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!" Mercury shouted as she tried to immobilize her target. Unfortunately, Chiral dodged in time, melting into the ground. "Damn it! Jupiter, keep it from going under!"

"Got it, Mercury! SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!" She threw her attack into the ground, shocking him back into the open. "Go!"

"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!" Her attack hit, freezing him into a solid crystal. She pulled out her computer, scanning the data. "If you hit it again, it'll shatter," she told her partner.

"On it… will my Supreme Thunder work, or do I have to go full-out?"

Tuxedo Kamen told her, "If I hit it with a rose first, then you aim at the rose, Supreme Thunder will be perfect."

He drew a perfect rose from his pocket, throwing it dead center. The ice was starting to crack slightly as Chiral tried to break free. "Hit it, Jupiter!"

"Right! SUPREME THUNDER!" The ice sculpture shattered, and one of the gems of the Dark Moon Clan fell to the ground, blackening as they watched.

A few seconds later, a cry of "MOON PRINCESS HALATION!" saw Achiral dusted as well, and the five turned to face Esmeraude again.

88888888

Serenity was utterly lost. "My mother? What in Selene's name are you talking about?"

"Did she never tell you, little princess?" Dimande sneered. "Did your saintly mother never mention that you were betrothed to another before you ever met your precious Endymion? That she broke off that engagement because of him?"

"I was engaged?" she whispered. "Mother never said anything." Her attention snapped back to the man in front of her. "However, I don't see what relevance that has to this situation or why you would dare to kidnap my new self and attempt to murder my court."

"It matters, Serenity," he snarled, "because you were engaged to _me_ before your mother broke it off in favor of that Terran idiot. I'm simply reclaiming what was rightfully mine."

"I died a very long time ago, so that tends to break such arrangements," she snapped angrily. "You kidnapped a girl that has no idea what's going on and every reason in the world to be terrified. She doesn't remember me, and if I didn't even know, she's completely clueless."

"The fact that she doesn't remember is what made this so easy, Princess. Your present self couldn't fight me the way you could, had you known. By forcing that part of her into dormancy, she gave me the perfect opening," Dimande laughed.

'What I wouldn't give to have the Ginzuishou,' Serenity despaired. Endymion!

Dimande's head snapped up as he caught the mental shout, then slapped the girl across the face. "You dare defy me, and try to bring your precious prince to rescue you?"

"I dare much," the Princess said defiantly, chin held high. The bright red mark on her cheek was already fading. "I dare to protect the girl I've become, who has done nothing to deserve what life holds for her. I dare to protect my friends and my love. We may have been betrothed once, _Your Majesty_, but I am not and will never be yours. My new self is only 14 years old, far too young to go through the torture she's already seen. For her sake, I will do whatever I must." She then proceeded to kick him in the shins, making him yelp.

"Then save her," Dimande ordered after he recovered. "Your prince will not make it here alive, and neither will your guardians. The only way to protect her is to remain in control and agree to be wed."

"Never!" The girl spat. "I will not lose that precious innocence that she possesses in such quantities. I have great faith in Endymion, his past and present. Her future, my future, is with him. She loves her Mamoru, just as I loved Endymion. You cannot stop it. _We will win._"

Without warning, the world around Serenity began to spin, and she lost consciousness.

88888888

Even as the Senshi turned to face Esmeraude, to see her dead, Tuxedo Kamen froze.

Endymion!

'Kami-sama, that's Serenity's voice!' he realized, jolting as if he had been electrocuted. He could feel his past self stir in recognition, waking old powers. He could feel her presence, electrifying with its power.

"Minna!" he shouted. "It's Serenity! She's calling me! I know where to find her!"

Esmeraude snarled and dove at him, trying to kill him. Tuxedo Kamen vanished, leaving Prince Endymion in his stead. He drew his sword and held it ready.

"You can't beat me," Endymion stated, voice redolent with ancient power. "Serenity's soul calls to mine. We are not easily separated."

Esmeraude looked crazed, less human and more like a feral animal. "You won't win, Endymion! I'll make sure of that!"

She lunged at him again, but he was ready for her. A quick twist of the wrist had her head rolling on the paving stones. The Senshi were speechless.

Endymion blanched. "I hate killing women, but she forced my hand," he said regretfully. He turned to face his love's guardians. "I can find her," he uttered urgently. "She's calling to me."

"I'm assuming you mean Princess Serenity?" Mercury asked, doing her best to shake off her shock. "Is that why you've become the Prince?"

He nodded. "Usako's become Serenity, although I don't know how since she doesn't have the Ginzuishou. It's very bad for her, you know. We need to get to her as quickly as possible."

"Is she okay?" Mars demanded.

Endymion shook his head. "I can't say. I don't feel Usako in her aura, and it's worrying me. Normally, even when she is the Princess, you can still feel Usako in her. Right now, she's purely Serenity."

"Is that a good sign or a bad one?" Venus wondered. "The princess is more capable of defending herself than Usagi-chan."

"Maybe so, Venus," Endymion replied, "but Serenity is no more of a fighter than Usako. Less, if at all possible. If Serenity were thinking clearly, she'd have summoned the Ginzuishou. You still have it, don't you, Mars?"

Mars pulled it out of her sub-space pocket. The crystal was flashing rapidly, reacting to its princess. "What's going on?" She whispered. "I've never seen it like this."

"No time," Endymion snapped. "Serenity is obviously distressed. This way!" He ordered, breaking into a run.

88888888

Dimande watched as the group raced toward them. He had left Serenity in her room after she had collapsed, returning to his throne room to check on Esmeraude's progress.

"Damn it, Serenity! If you hadn't called, the Terran moron wouldn't have won! Now they're on their way here!" he shouted, throwing his wine glass at the wall. "Saphir!"

"Hai, onii-san?" the other man replied as he stepped out of the shadows.

"You know Esmeraude lost?" the Prince demanded. At his brother's nod, he continued. "Serenity managed to contact Endymion. They're on their way here right now. We need to move, and quickly."

"Did you have something in mind, Dimande?" Saphir asked.

"Hai," he replied. "We're going to Nemesis. Serenity will be unable to summon support there."

88888888

Endymion froze, causing Jupiter to run into his back before she realized he had stopped moving.

"What's wrong?" Mercury demanded, panting for air. "What's happening?"

"Serenity's gone," he whispered, despair heavy in her voice. "I can't reach her anymore."

"Gone as in Usagi-chan is back in control, or gone as in she's not there anymore?" Mars screamed.

"She's not here, this time or place, anymore," he replied, numb. "I can't reach her."

"Could they have taken her to a different time?" Venus suggested. "Maybe a time we wouldn't suspect?"

Jupiter considered, but frowned. "I doubt it," she decided. "Pluto would be watching the Time Gate too closely for them to pull it off."

Endymion agreed when his form flickered. He had returned to being Tuxedo Kamen.

"What?" Mars said. "Why did you switch back? We need Endymion's link to her!"

"I didn't do it voluntarily," he snapped tiredly. "I can only be Endymion when she's Serenity. She's reverted, turned back into Usako." Defeat hovered over his features. "I don't know what I can do to find her."

"Well, let's think about this logically," Mercury said. "If they didn't travel through time, it must have been through space. The only suitable location to keep Usagi-chan would be somewhere that channels a great deal of dark energy. Therefore, they must have taken her to Nemesis."

"Well, now that we know where she is," Mars drawled angrily, "what do you think we should do? Fly?"

"Shut it, Mars," Venus ordered. "Now's not the time. What's the plan, Mercury?"

The blue-haired Senshi hesitated. "The only way we'd be able to get there in any decent amount of time would be to teleport, but we've never been able to do it without Usagi-chan."

"Well…" Venus said, considering. "We have the Ginzuishou, and we have a fifth planet's powers. What do you guys think?" She focused on Tuxedo Kamen.

"I really have no idea on this one," he replied. "I've never teleported, with or without the rest of you. I don't know if I can."

"You're one of the planets, though," Jupiter pointed out, "and like Venus said, we have the Ginzuishou. Or we could always ask Pluto if she could send us. If they can travel from Nemesis through time, there has to be a gateway."

"Either way, we need to go back to Crystal Palace," Mars pointed out. "If Mamoru-san doesn't know if he can teleport, King Endymion most definitely will. He may be able to help us."

"It's worth a try," Mercury decided, sliding her computer back into her sub-space pocket. "I've just run a scan, and it picked up minute traces of Usagi-chan's energy on Nemesis. It's lucky that I got that much; Nemesis' power nearly destroyed my tracers."

"She's definitely there, then," Venus remarked, both relieved and terrified. "Back to the Palace, then."

88888888

"What happened?" King Endymion asked when the Senshi trooped back in. Tuxedo Kamen had elected to stay outside and see if he could reach out and find Usagi's aura.

"We beat Esmeraude and her minions," Mercury started, "and we went to find Usagi, following Tuxedo Kamen-sama's lead. Apparently, Usagi-chan had turned into Princess Serenity without the Ginzuishou and called for him."

"But?" the King demanded, pacing. "Where is she?"

"She's on Nemesis," Venus told him. "They realized we were coming and fled. We don't know how to get to her."

"The timeline is changing," King Endymion breathed. "I was afraid of that. She was Serenity without the Ginzuishou, you said?"

The four Senshi nodded, eyes downcast. "We couldn't reach her in time," Mars said regretfully. "Now we want your advice on getting to Nemesis."

The King shook his head. "I've never been there. Somehow, you'll need to."

"We know," Jupiter replied. "We wanted to ask you about teleportation. Can Tuxedo Kamen take Usagi-chan's usual place? That way, we'd have five planets' powers and the Ginzuishou."

He considered. "It's possible, although I can't admit to having tried it myself. In this time, I'm perfectly capable of teleporting myself. In your time, you still depend on Serenity's power?"

The Senshi nodded. "For teleporting or Sailor Planet Attack, we need her. We've never succeeded without Usagi-chan," Mercury stated. "Mamoru carries Planet Power the same way we do, but I don't know if it can be channeled in the same fashion, since he's most obviously not a Senshi."

Endymion laughed slightly. "I most certainly am not. Senshi are always women. I think there's a good chance that your Tuxedo Kamen can teleport in the same fashion. Has he been able to initiate any contact with Serenity?"

"Iie," Mamoru replied as he entered the room, detransformed. "I can feel her to some extent, but her mind seems closed against me. It's possible that she's unconscious. I'm afraid I'm out of energy, too." He gestured at his human appearance. "I pushed too hard."

The Senshi groaned. "So much for that idea," Mars muttered. The other three nodded.

"Well, we all need to rest regardless," Venus said. "We've done too much fighting. Even with Usagi, we wouldn't be able to teleport in this condition." She turned to face the King. "Your Majesty, is there any rooms where we can sleep for a few hours?"

Endymion nodded. "The Senshi's quarters are unoccupied, since they're still trying to protect the castle. I don't think they'll mind if you take their spots. Mamoru, you may take my and Serenity's room."

"Isn't your body there?" Mercury asked.

The holograph's head shook. "My body is hidden, to avoid any of the Black Moon Clan's tricks. If they were to actually find it, the chances of my survival are very low. Serenity, too, is hidden."

The five exchanged glances then nodded. "Okay, minna, power down and off to bed," Venus ordered. "Mars, no fire gazing until you've rested. Your Highness, would you be so kind as to show us where to go?"

"Follow me."

88888888

Usagi started to stir again. As she opened her eyes, her head started to spin. 'What is this place? It's even worse than the last one…'

"Hello again, Serenity."

Usagi's head snapped to the side, creating even more disorientation. "Where… where are we?"

"You are in my palace on Nemesis. After your little stunt calling Endymion, it wasn't safe for you to remain on Earth," Dimande replied as pleasantly as possible.

"Calling Endymion? What?" Usagi shook her head, trying to clear it. Something seemed to be hovering in the peripheries of her memory… Something that she didn't recognize, yet seemed so familiar…

"You may find it difficult being here. I'm surprised you woke up so quickly. The Evil Black Crystal's power should have kept you unconscious for several more hours, at least," he informed her.

Usagi struggled up into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard since the manacle still attached to her wrist kept her from moving further. "Evil Black Crystal?"

"The antithesis of your Ginzuishou, as it were. It absorbs all other powers. With it, I can control time, space, whatever. Soon all planets and dimensions will belong to me, and to you, as the Queen."

"I'm not your Queen, and I never will be," Usagi argued as vehemently as could as she struggled to orient herself. "Why would you want to conquer the Earth anyway? We didn't do anything to you."

"In your time, iie, but in your future, you will. You, as Neo Queen Serenity, exiled my clan to cold, bleak Nemesis. My people simply wish to live on Earth, but you had denied us that."

"Your people don't need to conquer Earth to live there. Can't you try talking or something, instead of trying to take over?"

"Don't you think we tried all that, long ago? And what did we get for it? Banished to cold, bleak Nemesis. No, my clan and your people can't coexist peacefully," Dimande decided, shaking his head.

"What about Koan, Berthier, Calaveras, and Petz?" Usagi demanded. He shot her a startled glance. "I remember. Having Princess Serenity take over virtually guaranteed it. If the Four Sisters can live peacefully on Earth, why can't everyone else?"

"I don't truly desire to have this argument, not now that you know who you are," Dimande decided.

"You could have just let me be," Usagi snapped. "I was no threat to you. This would never come up if you hadn't. All I wanted was to live a normal life, but you decided to ruin it!"

"All part of my plan, of course," the white prince drawled. "Well, technically that's not completely true. You were supposed to remember who you were, but the dreams I sent Endymion worked better than expected. He pushed you away to the point that you felt like you had no reason to accept your background."

"Dreams?" Usagi stilled. "What dreams?"

Dimande gave a short, harsh laugh. "Did you truly believe that he had stopped loving you? Endymion is far too pathetic to do that, Princess. I let him think that you would die if he stayed close to you."

"So that's what caused it," she murmured, curling into a little ball. "Mamo-chan…"

He glared at her. "You are not to call him again, do you hear me? You're mine now, since he so foolishly abandoned you."

Usagi returned his glare. "I don't take orders from you, and I certainly don't belong to you. They'll save me."

Abruptly, an arm was on either side of her, caging her in. "Do you really think so, Serenity? I wouldn't be so sure if I were you." Dimande drawled as he finally moved to kiss her. He'd longed to since he'd first seen her… She shrank away, wishing for a way to avoid what she knew he was planning.

88888888

Mamoru sat bolt upright in bed, panting lightly. "Usako…" He stumbled into the washroom, splashing some cold water on his face. As soon as he felt coherent, he raced to find the others.

"Mamoru-san, what's wrong?" Mercury demanded as he skidded into the control room. She was already henshined and studying some data on the Palace's computer. Mars glanced up from her fire-gazing and the others turned to face him.

"It's Usako," he gasped, leaning against the wall. "She remembers. I can feel her again. And…" A thin-lipped smile crossed his face. "I have a plan."

88888888

AN: And yet another bad place to stop. Sorry, but this seemed too perfect to pass up. Reviews will help me get the next part out. Please?


	5. Part V

AN: Yeah, I made you guys wait a long time for the next installment. Remember, reviews means I write faster, so please, whatever you think, tell me. Nothing's changed, I still don't own Sailor Moon. You all know how it works.

'...' means thoughts

"..." means speech

("...") means mind-speech

88888888

"Iie!" Usagi yelled, pushing Dimande away with her free hand. "Don't touch me! Mamo-chan!"

The white prince snapped his fingers. The chain holding Usagi's first wrist shortened, pulling her hand against the bed frame, and a second appeared in a similar position. "I told you I wouldn't have to lock you up if you behaved, Serenity."

She growled, tugging at the chains in hopes she'd be able to pull free. Unfortunately, she was still too weak and couldn't draw on her Senshi strength. "Let me go!"

Dimande leaned in again as Saphir walked through the door. "Onii-san, I'm truly very sorry to interrupt, but Wiseman asked me to come find you. He wants a word."

"Damn it but he has terrible timing. Watch the girl. I'll be right back," the prince ordered.

Saphir turned curious eyes to the teenager, then sat down in the vacated chair as his brother left. "You're Princess Serenity, then."

Usagi eyed him warily. "I am. Who are you?"

The blue-haired man smiled slightly. "My name is Saphir. Dimande is my brother."

Usagi grimaced, turning her attention back to her restraints. She consideringly tugged on one, hoping to at least loosen it.

"That's not going to help, you know. My brother seems to be quite determined to keep you here," Saphir observed calmly.

She shifted slightly to stare at the younger prince. "You disagree with him?" she asked cautiously. She could use an ally.

He rose and paced the room. "Hai. The original intention was to emigrate to Earth, not to attack. I do not trust the Wiseman, but my brother listens to him closely. They both seem to think you or the child are the key."

Usagi hesitated. "Do you know who she is?"

The man stopped and watched her, surprised. "You don't already know? It should be quite apparent to you at the very least."

"I'm getting really tired of people assuming I know things. I don't understand Dimande's plans or how Chibiusa-chan is involved," the blonde snapped.

"Is Chibiusa what you call the Rabbit?" Saphir asked. Usagi nodded. "I'd never heard her name. I also don't see what relevance a small child should have." He seated himself again. "Onii-san may not like it, but I might as well tell you. The Rabbit is Neo Queen Serenity's only child. Your only child."

The poor girl was, needless to say, shocked. "My… child? Chibiusa-chan is my daughter? Mine and whose?"

He frowned. "My brother definitely won't want you to know that." The petite blonde scowled. He laughed softly. "I can see that you don't like that reason. Why do you trust me to tell you the truth?"

She studied him for a moment. "I don't know. To start with, you're being kind to me, at least in comparison. You remind me of the Four Sisters a bit. And," she blushed a little, "you look a little like Mamo-chan. Umm, can you help me get out of here?"

Saphir shook his head. "It would be treason if I helped you escape. I can, however, remove those chains, at least until my brother returns. You must be uncomfortable. I can also get you something to eat if you'd like."

It was Usagi's turn to frown. "I'd rather leave, but I'll take what I can get," she decided. "Why are you helping me?"

"My brother is lashing out at you for something that is a thousand years in your future or your past. You, as you are now, have done nothing to deserve this except defend your home. I cannot fault you for that." He gestured and the chains fell away.

The teen sat up, massaging her wrists. "Thank you. Will you be in trouble for this?"

He grimaced. "It's possible, even probable. Dimande seems to be taking no risks with you. You're only a child, though. I think he forgets that."

Usagi bristled at the term child. "Most children don't protect the world."

"My apologies then, princess," Saphir said with a bow. "I didn't mean to offend you. I'll be back shortly with something for you to eat."

88888888

"That's the plan?" Mars asked. "That's a stupid plan."

Mamoru glared at her. "It'll work. Dimande seems to have a personal vendetta against me. If I let him think I died, he'll want to bring Usako back to Earth so he can gloat."

"What do you think, King Endymion?" Mercury asked, facing the monarch. "Is Mamoru-san right?"

"It's certainly possible," the King admitted. "Dimande truly hates me in this time period, and he certainly doesn't seem to like my past self any better. He's jealous that I have Serenity instead of him, which is why he stole her from your time."

"But why would he care?" Venus wondered. "In that message he sent us, he mentioned the Silver Millennium. Anybody have any idea what he meant?"

Endymion frowned. "I'd forgotten about that. Unlike the rest of us, Dimande hadn't been reborn after the Silver Millennium; he's lived it. At this point, he's around 2500 years old. Queen Serenity exiled him from the Moon after he tried to kill me- us."

"Why?" Jupiter asked. "What could possibly have happened for him to still hate you after all this time?"

"Dimande lived on Earth at the same time I did. His family had been the rulers of Terra, but the people overthrew them and placed my family on the throne. Queen Serenity was still willing to give him a chance, however. She allowed him to come to the Moon Kingdom and- well, and she betrothed Dimande and Princess Serenity."

"What?!" Five voices screamed at him.

He winced. "Nice to see you haven't recovered all your memories, Mamoru. Yes, Dimande and Serenity were engaged before we met. Her mother hadn't told her about it, though. Shortly before the official announcement on the Princess's sixteenth birthday, we met. Serenity told her mother everything about it, so Queen Serenity broke the engagement so her daughter could be happy."

"Well, that would explain why Dimande hates you so much," Mars decided. "You stole his fiancée, or at least that's the way he sees it."

"Serenity was, and still is, considered the most beautiful woman alive. He lusts after her," Endymion continued. "Mamoru is probably correct when he says that Dimande would bring her back to Earth to gloat."

"Well…" Mercury paused, considering. "If Mamoru's supposed death would bring him back to Earth, what about all of us? He doesn't seem overly fond of the Senshi."

"Of course he doesn't. You're the ones that kept him from killing me in the first place. He was quite put out by it," the King explained. "He didn't realize you were watching him to make sure he didn't cause trouble."

"What exactly did we do?" Venus asked. "It sounds vaguely familiar, but I don't remember."

"The Princess had already returned to her room for the night. I was talking with the Queen in the audience hall while the four of you stood guard as usual. After I left, Dimande followed me out. You became suspicious and came too, staying out of sight. I hadn't noticed him, so he tried to plant a dagger in my back. Mars melted it and Mercury froze his feet so Jupiter and Venus could grab him."

"We did that?" Mars looked mildly surprised. "Venus is right, it does sound familiar."

"After that, you turned him over to Queen Serenity for trial. Dimande was exiled and I didn't see him again until after we'd been reincarnated. I noticed him following Serenity around a few times, but I didn't realize who he was until much later."

Mamoru's head jerked up. "You're right. I've seen him in Crown a few times. He was always staring at Usako, too. I never liked the way he looked at her."

Endymion nodded. "He's been waiting for a chance ever since she was reborn. In the old timeline, she had never erased her memories, though. It took longer for him to have an opportunity. Since I don't know with any certainty what will happen anymore, your plan is the best chance we have."

Mercury paced, typing data into her minicomputer. "So if we have Mamoru play dead, Dimande is highly likely to return to Earth. Even if we don't get a chance to rescue Usagi-chan, she might be able to do it herself now that she remembers. All of us playing dead is probably too much."

Venus agreed. "As much as Dimande would want to believe it, his advisors would think it was a trap. They'd be right, but we're not going to tell them that." An impish grin appeared on the blonde Senshi's face.

"Then when they get here, we smash them to pieces," Jupiter growled. "No one messes with our princess."

"As strange as it is for me to be saying this, calm down, Jupiter," Mars ordered. "We can worry about smashing people after she's back safe."

Endymion and Mamoru exchanged amused looks, then Mamoru spoke. "We'll have to wait for them to send another wave of droids. It probably won't take long considering how badly he wants me dead."

Mercury agreed. "My computer estimates that the next wave of droids will be within the next 6-12 hours. Until that time, we can refine the exact procedure."

Venus nodded. "Got it, Mercury. Any suggestions, minna?"

88888888

As Saphir walked past the throne room to bring Usagi some food, his brother called him.

"Saphir, would you come in here?"

"Hai, onii-san?" he enquired as he walked in. Dimande's brows rose at the tray in his hands. "It's for the Princess," he explained.

"Ah," the white prince murmured, satisfied. "She truly is lovely, isn't she? Exquisite."

The younger man shrugged. "She seems like a sweet child. She's scared, though."

Dimande's eyebrows shot up. "Are you trying to say something, Saphir?"

He laughed slightly. "Questioning your methods can get people killed. I have no desire to die."

The older man softened slightly. "You know I wouldn't hurt you. Just be honest."

Saphir frowned. "Okay, but remember you told me to. She's far too young for this, onii-san, and she only just recovered her memories. Future queen or not, in her time she's only a child still."

Now his brother frowned as well. "Saphir…"

The younger prince backed away slightly. "You did ask me to tell you the truth."

"I could always age her," Dimande mused thoughtfully. "Then it wouldn't be an issue. It would just require a large enough dose of the Evil Black Crystal's energy."

"Onii-san!" Saphir gasped, shocked. "A dose that large could easily kill her. It would take too much to overwhelm the powers of the Ginzuishou."

The white prince paced. "You're right, of course. I don't know what I was thinking." He glanced at his brother. "You had best take that food to her soon. She must be quite hungry."

"Hai, onii-san." Saphir bowed and backed out the door.

88888888

Usagi had decided to examine as much of the room as she could now that she wasn't being forced to stay in the horrid bed. After waiting a few moments for her legs to adjust to standing, she began to wander around, hoping to figure out the trick for opening the door.

While she looked around, the door opened practically in front of her nose and she prepared to bolt past whoever it was.

As she ran, a blue-clad arm reached out and caught her shoulder, gently pulling her back into her room as the door shut. "As much as I'd like to let you leave, little princess, I can't take that risk."

Usagi glanced up, relieved. "Oh, it's you. I was afraid your brother was back."

Saphir handed her the tray. "You do understand why I can't just let you go, right, little one?"

She nodded, a depressed look on her usually cheery face. "That doesn't mean I can't try, though," she asserted.

The princeling laughed. "I suppose not. If you managed to escape of your own accord, I would not hinder you. For now though, you need to eat. Nemesis surely is not too good for you."

The teen grimaced. "It feels very… wrong. I don't know how to describe it."

"I think I can understand," he told her. "This place doesn't suit you because the energy it channels is the exact opposite of your own. Even if you managed to escape this palace, I don't know if you'd survive. My world is not friendly to your sort."

"Saphir…" Usagi paused. "You don't seem to like this. Why haven't you simply left?"

He sighed. "My brother is the only family I have. Whether I agree with him or not, I will not simply abandon him. Perhaps someday I will be able to go without regrets, perhaps to live with Petz and her sisters."

She tilted her head. "You know them?"

"Of course. Not only was I the one that sent them to Earth, my apologies, but Petz and I… had a relationship at one point."

Usagi gaped at him. "You and Petz? That's just… I… wow."

The man started laughing. "Is it really that surprising, Princess?"

The blonde decided to ignore the question. "Dimande said he was part of my past in the Silver Millennium. Were you?"

"I didn't know you, exactly, although we'd met once while my brother and I visited your mother's court. Unlike onii-san, I became friends with Prince Endymion. I very highly doubt he remembers me, though," Saphir explained.

"Can you tell me more about what happened then that made your brother hate him so much?" she asked curiously.

The princeling shook his head. "Perhaps one day you will know, but I will not be the one to say. Maybe you could ask Dimande to explain."

Usagi's lips curled in distaste. "I don't like talking to him. He scares me, and he tried to kiss me. He's also the reason all of this happened."

The young man sighed, running his hands through his blue hair. "I hope someday you'll be able to see past that, Serenity. My brother has many faults, hai, but he wasn't always like this. I just wish that someday he will become the man he used to be." At hearing a slight sound, he turned his head toward the entryway. "That's onii-san now. I must apologize, Princess, but I have to lock you up again."

She shied away from him and he sighed again. "I won't do it as tightly, I promise. Try to avoid angering him and you should be all right."

Usagi relented for his sake, since he was helping her. "You'll tell me if there's anything I should know?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded. "Hai, I will. Be careful, Princess. My brother has a short temper."

Just as Saphir stepped away, Dimande strode back in. "Prepare another set of droids to send to Crystal Tokyo, Saphir," he ordered before turning his attention to the girl in front of him. "Serenity."

The younger prince slipped out the door unnoticed as Usagi glared at the white prince. "Let me out of these," she demanded, rattling the chains.

"Will you promise not to run again?" he retorted, eyes glittering. "If not, that is where you stay."

"You know perfectly well I won't make that promise. Release me."

"It doesn't seem like a good idea to have you free, Serenity. You simply try to run away," the prince murmured, eyeing her hungrily.

She shuddered. "What else do you expect me to do? You're keeping me here when I don't want to be."

As the two argued, Saphir re-entered the room. "The droids are ready to be given orders, onii-san. Shall I do it or would you prefer to?"

"I'll take care of it," he decided. "Stay with Serenity again. I'll return shortly."

88888888

"Droid alert! About twenty or more!" Mercury shouted from the computers. At her warning, the other four warriors joined her.

"Any idea what their plan is, Mercury?" Mars demanded. "Any leader?"

"I'd have to guess that they're here to kill us. We also got lucky," she added, a smirk on her face. "Dimande is leading them himself."

"Excellent!" Jupiter crowed. "He'll have every reason to believe us if he 'sees' Mamoru-san die right in front of him!"

"He seems to want to take no chances," Venus observed. "You're right, this will work perfectly." She glanced at the monarch and his past self. "Any last-minute decisions to be made?"

Mamoru considered as he reached into his sub-space pocket for a rose. "We should have Mars pretend to try using the Ginzuishou to revive me. This will go off even better if he believes I can't be brought back. You all know your parts, right?"

"Right!" the Senshi chorused.

He, as Tuxedo Kamen, then turned to face the King. "The hologram we prepared is ready to go?" he demanded.

Endymion nodded. "A perfect image of you, covered in blood. As soon as you pretend to go down, the Senshi drag you back inside the shield, and then I layer the hologram over you. It will be perfectly convincing. Throw in some tears and wailing and Dimande will buy it."

"Okay, ready, minna?" Venus demanded. "Let's get going!"

88888888

Dimande watched over the large group of droids, carefully floating in midair above them in a manner similar to Zoisite's but without the pink flower petals. (AN: sorry, couldn't resist)

"Surely under my guidance they will be able to take down at least one of these nuisances- preferably Endymion. Serenity is MINE!"

With the prince's command, the droids stormed the shield. Either it would break or the Senshi of the past would emerge.

As the white prince watched, they did indeed. The four girls and Tuxedo Kamen quickly plunged into battle, cutting bloody swathes through the opposing force.

Dimande leaned his head into his hands. "Beaten by a bunch of girls in mini-skirts and a man in an outdated tuxedo. How embarrassing."

With another signal, the miniature army reformed and all aimed directly for Tuxedo Kamen. The evil prince chuckled in appreciation when he saw the looks of shock on the Senshi's faces as their prince tried to block all of his attackers. He hated to admit it, but Endymion was a rather good fighter.

With a crow of delight from above and cries of disbelief below, Dimande watched as his arch-foe fell and the Senshi raced to him, dragging him behind the safety of the shield. The quiet one, Sailor Mercury, immediately pulled out her computer to scan him as the white prince noticed the blood that soaked his normally pristine tuxedo. The other three Senshi raced back into battle.

Venus pulled out the Moon Scepter and swept it around her. "MOON PRINCESS HALATION!" she screamed, twirling so that the attack hit multiple targets at once. Mars and Jupiter fought similarly, aiming for more than one droid at a time. As the last one fell, a surprised shriek came from Mercury's lips.

"Iie! Mamoru-san! Iie! Don't do this to us! Don't do this to Usagi-chan!" she screamed, drawing everyone's attention.

"What's wrong, Mercury?" Venus called, dashing to join her with the others hot on her heels.

"Iie!" she continued to cry, hugging Mamoru to her chest. "Iie! Minna, he's dead! Mamoru-san is dead!" she wept.

"Iie…" Mars whispered as she fell to her knees. "He can't be… we're supposed to be invincible…"

Jupiter brushed away tears as she turned in the evil prince's direction. "I hope you're happy, you scum! You're going to pay for this if it's the last thing I do!" she shouted, shaking her fist. "SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"

Dimande dodged the attack easily while laughing. "So that's it, then. That's the end of the famous Prince of Terra. Now Serenity will be mine forever!"

With that parting comment, he vanished, returning to his palace on Nemesis, grinning gleefully at the news. The Senshi exchanged looks before carrying the body inside.

88888888

Dimande strode down the halls toward Serenity's room. "Saphir!" He watched as his brother slipped out of her room. "How is she?" he asked, momentarily tender.

"She's sleeping now. This much exposure to the Evil Black Crystal is exhausting her. What's going on? How did the attack on Crystal Palace fare?"

The older man laughed again. "Incredibly well. I no longer have to worry about Endymion trying to rescue his precious princess." At his brother's look of surprise, he continued. "Endymion died in the attack. The Senshi were quite displeased."

Saphir paled. The poor girl would be devastated. "What happens now?"

"We return to Earth, I think. Without Endymion's bond to Serenity, they have no way to find her. I want to watch as they crumble. Make the arrangements," he ordered.

"H-hai, onii-san," the princeling replied, slightly shaky. After a short bow, he moved down the corridor as quickly as he could without seeming suspicious. Dimande watched for a moment before entering the princess's room.

As Saphir had said, she was sleeping, although it appeared that he had loosened her restraints to give her some room to move around. She looked so calm and peaceful, although she winced on occasion as the dark magic burned against her own.

"Dear, sweet Serenity. There are no obstacles left. You're mine now, forever," he murmured, brushing her bangs out of her face.

As he did so, she stirred slightly in her sleep, instinctively shifting away from the increase in the evil energy that plagued her.

88888888

"Did it work?" Venus demanded breathlessly as Mercury examined Mamoru.

"Calm down and move out of the light please, Venus-chan," Mercury requested. "I need to get a better look at Mamoru's ribs."

Mars glanced up from the fire she had conjured. "According to my fire reading, it did. Dimande believed us. How is he?" she continued, gesturing to Mercury's patient.

He winced as she applied pressure to his tender chest. "Our plan didn't include my actually being injured," he hissed. "This is terribly inconvenient."

"Two broken ribs," Mercury announced. "One of them just barely missed your lung. Count yourself lucky." She began to wind bandages around his chest to hold them in place until they could heal.

"I'll count myself lucky when our faster healing kicks in and it stops hurting," he muttered. "I wish there'd been a way to do this without upsetting Usako, though. With her memories back, she's going to take the news very badly and you know Dimande will tell her."

Jupiter nodded. "He'll want to convince her that she can't get away now that you're gone and, quite honestly, I don't know if it's necessary. If Usagi-chan thinks you're dead, she'll probably go back into her shell like she did when you disappeared."

"That worries me too," Venus admitted. "Once back on Earth, she'll probably be able to escape with her memories, but she might not realize because she'll be too busy grieving."

"Well, we can still find her," Mars commented. "When Usagi does get back, Mamoru can use their bond to tell her the truth. Until then, we just have to hope that she doesn't shut down completely. Maybe we'll get lucky and Dimande won't say anything to her until after Mamoru gets the chance."

As soon as Mars finished speaking, the Mercury Computer beeped. "Usagi's back on Earth," she informed them quickly. "Mamoru?"

He nodded and henshined, then reached out along their link. ("Usako, can you hear me?") he brushed across her mind, being very careful to keep it undetectable to anyone but her. He shot a glance at Mercury, who gestured for him to continue. ("Usako!")

"The Mercury Computer isn't registering any vibes. How about you, Mars?"

The Senshi of Fire shook her head. "I can't detect it. Hopefully, no one else will either."

88888888

Usagi sat up in bed as she heard the thought. 'That's Mamo-chan's voice,' she realized. She was about to reply when Prince Dimande stepped in.

"Good morning, Princess. I'm afraid I have some bad news," he drawled, fighting down a smirk.

She instantly froze. Bad news?

"You see, there was an attack on Crystal Palace last night after you fell asleep. Unfortunately, your side didn't do well."

'Iie.' She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "W-what happened?" she stammered, drawing her legs to her chest as she curled into a protective ball.

"There was a… incident with Endymion. A number of the droids went after him at once. Unfortunately, he couldn't fight them all at once," Dimande explained. "He died."

'Oh, Selene, iie. Don't let it be true. He can't be dead. I'd know, wouldn't I?'

("Usako!") She was hearing him, how could he be dead?

"Iie… Mamo-chan…" she whispered, biting her lip. "It can't be."

"I saw it myself," the prince asserted, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "Your Senshi were distraught. Unfortunately, they made it inside the shield before the droids caught up with them."

"Iie… iie! You lie! He isn't dead! He can't be dead!" she screamed, desperately fighting the chains. "Mamo-chan! MAMO-CHAN!"

"I'll give you some time to compose yourself, Serenity. There's nothing you can do for him now."

"Iie…" she sobbed, silent tears rolling down her face. She tentatively reached for their bond. If he was dead, she would know.

'The bond- it's still there,' she realized, puzzled. ("Mamo-chan?")

("Usako! You're all right!") he exclaimed, relief evident in his tone.

("I'm okay. I thought you were dead. What's going on?") she demanded. ("Why did he tell me you were dead?")

She heard Mamoru's mental chuckle. ("The Senshi and I planned it that way. We couldn't reach you on Nemesis, but we realized that Dimande would bring you back to Earth if he thought I was dead. So, we staged it.")

Usagi giggled slightly. ("Very well done. Mamo-chan, I found out some stuff about what's going on-")

("So have we, Usako. Not now. Is there any way you can get out of there? We're going to try to come in to get you, but if Dimande finds out I'm still alive he'll pull you back to Nemesis before I can get there.")

She shivered. ("I hate that place. It's so terrible. There's a man here that might be willing to help me, at least a little. He generally lets me out of these chains.")

("Chains?") Mamoru demanded angrily. ("He has you locked up?")

("I tried running away a few times,") she admitted. ("How did you know I would hear you?")

("I felt you get your memories back, because it changed your… feel, is the best way I can put it. You feel different when you're only Usagi, but once you got your memory back you felt like Usagi and Serenity,") he explained. ("See if you can get that man to release you. The King says you should be able to follow the Ginzuishou's magic to get out. I'll try to meet you nearby if you can.")

Usagi agreed. ("I can try. Is it reaching for me?")

("I was told that the Ginzuishou always reaches to you to protect you, even a little. You are probably the only one that would be able to trace it.")

("I'll try, she assured him just as she heard someone coming. Someone's coming, I can't talk. Aishiteru, Mamo-chan!")

("Aishiteru, Usako…")

He broke the connection just in time. No sooner was his voice gone than Prince Dimande walked in. Usagi immediately reassumed her heartbroken expression.

"Change clothes and come with me," he ordered harshly.

Usagi drew away from him. "Iie. I can't, anyway," she said, gesturing with one hand.

"Saphir!" the prince snapped.

The younger man materialized behind him. "Hai, onii-san?" he asked, carefully schooling his voice to a neutral tone.

"Release her and help her change. Wiseman wants to meet her," he demanded. "Be quick about it."

"Hai," Saphir murmured as his brother vanished. "He's in an awful mood," he mused, turning to face the petite blonde. He snapped his fingers and the chains vanished, then bent slightly to help her stand.

"Saphir," she muttered urgently, "I need your help. I have to leave, now!"

"Serenity," he said warningly, "you know I can't do that."

"Then just give me a chance," she whispered desperately. "Say you went to find me something to change into! I can't stay here, and I can't meet the Wiseman."

He studied her beseeching expression. "You know that if I do this I place my own life at risk."

She bit her lip. "I know, but I wouldn't ask unless I was desperate. Please, I have to go! My friends need me, and this place is making me sick."

He caught her trembling form as she nearly fell to the ground, setting her carefully back on the bed. "Why am I even considering this?" he wondered. "You know I can't betray my brother like that."

"Saphir, please…" she began, but Dimande picked that moment to come back in.

"Why isn't she ready yet?" he demanded, pacing the room like a caged animal.

"My apologies, onii-san. She had a bad dizzy spell and nearly collapsed. I didn't want to leave her until she recovered," the younger man said, bowing slightly.

"Very well," he snapped. "Hurry and go find something suitable for her to wear. I'll watch her until you return."

"Hai," Saphir agreed, hurrying from the room while throwing Usagi a regretful look. The poor child was shaking, clearly terrified. Without the threat of her betrothed seeking retribution, she had no defense, and she was far too weak to fight.

88888888

AN: So this time, it was an accident. I didn't mean to cut it off at such a bad spot. Please, please, please tell me what you think. The more reviews I get, the better the chances of me writing faster, which means I update sooner. There's probably only one chapter left, but I'm not sure.


	6. Part VI

AN: Okay, I'm sorry I didn't release this as fast as I normally do

AN: Okay, I'm sorry I didn't release this as fast as I normally do. Stuff came up. You all know the drill, I don't own Sailor Moon, etc. I hope you guys like this part.

88888888

"Well?" Mars asked. "What did she say? Is she all right?"

"Mars, calm down and remember that the poor man has a pair of broken ribs," Venus ordered. "Let him breathe a bit before you grill him."

"Arigato, Venus," Mamoru sighed, "but I'm all right. Usako says she is too, although Dimande's been keeping her chained. Apparently she tried to run away a few times."

"Go, Usagi-chan," Jupiter whistled. "Even without her memories or Senshi abilities? Wow."

"Usako's going to try to get out. She said there was someone there that's been kind to her and helped her a little, and she hopes he'll help her escape," Mamoru continued while rubbing his chest lightly.

"Don't do that," Mercury ordered absently. "Anything else?"

"She said she found out a little about what's going on, but we didn't get a chance to say much else. Someone came in."

Endymion's hologram paced. "Dimande took the bait. Now we either need to determine a way to get in to rescue Serenity or hope that she can find a way out on her own. Most of the options I can think of involve her having the Ginzuishou."

"So we're depending on her being able to escape without her Senshi abilities?" Mars asked incredulously. "I don't like the odds. If Dimande realizes Mamoru-san is alive, he'll take her back to Nemesis and we'll have to figure out another way to rescue her."

"No pessimism," Mamoru said firmly. "We've always managed to recover from bad situations. I won't let this one be an exception."

"Mamoru-san…" Mercury paused, considering. "Would you by any chance be able to feed Usagi-chan some of Earth's energy? Channel it to her to give her some extra strength?"

He shrugged, and the group turned to face the King. Endymion appeared to be deep in thought. "Since we're on Earth, it's more likely, but it also runs the risk of alerting Dimande that you're alive. Perhaps the Senshi could try? By focusing through the Ginzuishou, it should be able to send the power to her."

"It's worth a shot," Venus and Mars said simultaneously. "Let's get set up," Venus continued.

88888888

Saphir was quite right; Usagi was incredibly scared. The look on Dimande's face didn't bode well for anyone, her especially. She watched him cautiously as he paced the room, very glad that she wasn't still locked up. At least she stood a better chance of defending herself now.

The white prince slowly walked closer, trying to avoid her noticing. She seemed to be thinking, and there was a sad, worried expression on her face. He reached out and grabbed her arm, dragging her to her feet. Usagi lifted her head and glared at him.

"Let go of me!" she snapped, trying to pull away.

His eyes narrowed. "You seem to forget that you're mine, Serenity. YOU take orders from ME, not the reverse."

Usagi laughed, a harsh, sarcastic sound. "Iie. Just because you claim Mamo-chan is dead doesn't make me yours," she maintained. "Especially since you caused it. I'll never be yours."

"Really, Serenity?" he murmured, moving the petite girl closer. "You haven't been doing a very good job proving otherwise." His third eye flashed, freezing her in place.

He kissed her, hard, brutally. She fully expected a bruise to form, a compliment to the one from when he had slapped her as Serenity. She tried desperately to pull free, looking for a weakness to exploit. She nearly missed it. She had control of her legs.

Within seconds, she swung a leg up and kicked him in the knee. A satisfying crunch of bone echoed through the empty room. Dimande cried out in shock, falling to the ground as Usagi rolled out of reach. She jumped to her feet, dashing out of the still open door.

88888888

Mamoru glanced up from watching the Senshi, _listening_. "Minna!" he shouted. "She's trying to escape! Mars, can you send the Ginzuishou to her?"

Mars focused on the glowing crystal, but it remained in place. She shook her head. "Not until she gets out of Dimande's castle. Should I send the energy? That could help."

At Mamoru's sharp nod, she focused again, and a rainbow beam of light shot out of the Ginzuishou before turning the radiant pink of the Princess's power.

88888888

Usagi practically flew down the halls, ignoring the weakness that threatened to stop her, when she ran full-tilt into Saphir. He caught sight of the ugly bruising and winced.

"What happened, Serenity?" he demanded, helping her up.

"Your brother- Dimande kissed me. I kicked him in the knee and ran. Onegai, Saphir, I can't stay here. He'll be furious when he catches me," she begged. "Don't let him!"

Saphir wavered. He loved his brother, but she needed help. Closing his eyes and praying he was doing the right thing, he nodded. "I'll help you leave. There's a secret exit in my lab. Hurry up; I don't want onii-san to think I let you go. Let's hope we don't run into the Wiseman."

Usagi nodded, accepting a cloak he was handing her.

"Put it on, and make sure the hood is up," he ordered. "You're too conspicuous."

"Saphir…" she paused. "You can leave too. We can help you."

He sighed. "I can't abandon my brother. I told you that already. Wrong or not, he's all I have."

"But he might try to kill you!" the teen protested. "You've done so much for me; why won't you let me help? You shouldn't be in danger because of me!"

A slight smile edged onto his features. "I can see why your Senshi and Prince love you so much. You have a huge heart. Let's go, though. You can't waste any time."

Without warning, a pink bolt of light struck her, and he watched as she changed into the Princess.

"Wow, that helped a lot," she breathed. ("Arigato, Mamo-chan!")

("Hurry up, Usako,") Mamoru warned her.

("I will,") she promised. ("I'll see you soon. Aishiteru.") She cut off before he could say anything else.

Saphir led her through the castle as quickly as he could, taking lesser used passages to avoid having anyone spot her and alert his brother. Glancing around, he noted that no one was in the vicinity of his laboratory, and quickly led her inside.

She pulled the hood back from her face. "Domo arigato, Saphir. This means a lot to me," she whispered.

"Don't worry about it, Serenity," he replied. "You're still a child. You deserve to live your own life." He opened a trap door. "This leads almost directly to Crystal Palace. There're no turns, so you can't miss it."

She allowed him to lower her into the tunnel. "Are you sure? You won't leave?"

"I appreciate the concern, Princess, but I need to be here. If Wiseman is the only one with Dimande, there's no telling what will happen next. Now, run," he ordered, "and don't stop until you're safe."

88888888

Serenity took his words to heart, racing down while wishing she had a light. She felt a huge weight lift off of her, and knew she had left the castle. She held out a hand and focused, reaching for the Ginzuishou with her mind. It fell into her hand, glowing softly. She held it to her chest, letting it repair the damages to her magic from the dark energy. She decided not to waste her time healing the bruises until she was closer to Crystal Palace.

As she continued, she heard footsteps approaching. Fear highlighted her pale features as she searched desperately for somewhere to hide.

88888888

"She's Serenity again," Prince Endymion noted. "She must've received your energy." He tilted his head slightly, _listening_ again. "Yes, she did. She's headed this way."

The four Senshi nodded. The prince glanced at his future self. "Do you know where she is now?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the Ginzuishou vanished. Mars looked at her hands, surprised. "I didn't do that…" she murmured.

"She must be out of the castle," Mercury decided, opening her computer. "With the Ginzuishou, I'll be able to tell you where she is in a moment. After that, we can retrieve her."

In a matter of seconds, Endymion rose as well, but Venus shook her head. "There's no point in taking risks, Mamoru-san. We can get her. You still need to focus on healing those ribs of yours."

Prince Endymion grumbled, but reluctantly agreed. His beloved Princess would be safe with her Senshi.

88888888

Saphir slipped into Esmeraude's rooms just as Dimande bellowed for him. Grabbing some clothes that were approximately the right side for Serenity, he hurried back.

One eyebrow shot up when he saw his older brother leaning against her bed, one leg at an awkward angle, before he slipped into concerned brother mode. "Onii-san! What happened?"

Dimande hissed. "Serenity ran," he said simply.

At his brother's incredulous look, he continued. "I was kissing her, and she managed to break my mind control. She broke my leg, I think," the white prince continued, gesturing at his leg, then his eyes narrowed. "Where were you? You were gone a very long time."

Saphir gulped. "I was looking for clothing for the Princess. We don't have a lot of women's outfits, and the few we do have are too big for her. I was in Esmeraude's room when you called."

Dimande studied his younger brother for a moment before nodding. "Of course. How silly of me. Send some droids to find her," he ordered.

Saphir reluctantly nodded. Bending, he lifted Dimande to his feet while keeping the weight off of the broken limb, quickly escorting him to the infirmary.

88888888

Serenity looked both ways in panic, trying to decide what to do. It sounded like there were footsteps approaching from both directions. She pressed herself against the wall, hoping that she was simply being paranoid.

'Wait… what is that?' she wondered. She could've sworn she heard her name. Quickly focusing on the Ginzuishou, she returned to Usagi, then altered the dress Dimande had put her in to one of her normal outfits.

"Usagi-chan!" There it was again. 'It sounded like- the Senshi! They found me!'

"Minna!" she shouted. "Minna! It's me, I'm over here!"

The girls, hearing her, picked up speed. "Usagi-chan!" Mars cried as she saw her best friend. "Usagi-chan!" the others echoed. All four raced over and wrapped her into a big hug.

"Come on, we have to get you out of here," Venus said. She reached into her sub-space pocket, retrieving the Luna Pen, the Moon Broach, and the Moon Scepter. "Here are your things, Sailor Moon," she continued formally.

"Oh, Venus!" Usagi cried, throwing her arms around her friend. "Arigato, minna. I'm so sorry I put you all through this."

"Let's hurry, Usagi-chan," Mercury told her. "Mamoru-san must be going crazy wondering where we are."

"Why isn't he here?" she demanded. "Where's Mamo-chan?"

Jupiter shuffled her feet slightly. "He got hurt when we tricked Dimande into thinking he was dead. He has a couple of broken ribs, so we made him stay at Crystal Palace."

Mercury, who had been scanning the surrounding area, looked up. "Oh, no. Minna, company's coming. Four droids."

Usagi paled instantly. "Dimande doesn't want me to get away. He'll try to kill you."

Mars placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We're together, Usagi-chan. Nothing can beat us when we're united. Now, go on and henshin. We miss fighting with Sailor Moon by our side."

Usagi lifted her tear-streaked face and nodded, slipping the Ginzuishou into its setting. "Hai. MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

Pink ribbons poured from the broach, wrapping her in power. It seemed to welcome her back. Magic brushed the remaining dark power from her, bathing her in its pure light. In thirty seconds, Sailor Moon stood with her Senshi. She tentatively ran her hands over her fuku, feeling the comforting weight of her tiara. A soft smile appeared on her face.

"I never thought I'd be her again," she murmured. "I'm not going back. Ready, minna?"

"What's the plan, oh illustrious leader?" Mars asked jokingly.

"It's quite simple," she replied, laughing. "We pound the droids into the dust. How's that sound?"

"Great!" the others cheered. The five of them settled into battle stances as the droids rounded the corner.

"There!" one of them hissed. "With the pigtails!"

"Touch her and die," Jupiter said threateningly. "We just got her back; we're certainly not going to let slime like you take her away again."

"Definitely not," Venus agreed. "We'd rather die than let you have her."

"You'd do well to leave now," Mercury added. "Messing with us now is a bad idea."

"Oh, screw trying to reason with them," Mars decided. "BURNING MANDALA!" Rings of fire shot from her open hands, hitting two of the targets.

"Works for me," Jupiter shrugged. "SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!" Her attack caught one in the chest, slamming it into the tunnel wall as it lost consciousness. "Mercury, freeze them!"

"Right! SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!" Ice sprayed, hitting the three that were still conscious. Rooted to the ground, all they could do was watch.

"VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN!" Venus shouted, tying the unconscious droid to the others. "Your turn, Sailor Moon!"

"Hai!" she confirmed, pulling her scepter out. She spun, building power. "MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

Dust blew, and four gems fell to the ground. "Moon dusted," Usagi added in satisfaction. "Why did I stop doing this again?"

"Because you're an Odango Atama?" Mars offered. "If you ever try pulling a stunt like that again…"

"Don't call me that!" Usagi yelled, sticking her tongue out. Mars retaliated, and one of their famous tongue wars began

The other Senshi laughed, relieved to finally have her with them, safe once more. "Let's go," Venus ordered, "before Mamoru-san loses his patience and comes looking for us."

The words had barely left her mouth before they saw Sailor Moon racing down the tunnel at top speed, following the link to her love.

"Usagi-chan!" Jupiter yelled. "Wait up! You shouldn't be alone!"

With that, the others ran after her.

88888888

Dimande watched her leave, hurling his wine glass at the wall. His leg had been set, but it would hurt for the few days it would take him to heal.

"Damn it!" he snarled. "I finally get Endymion out of the way, and she escapes! Saphir! Wiseman!"

Saphir stepped in first. "Hai, onii-san?"

Dimande ignored him, waiting for the Wiseman to arrive before he tried to come up with a new scheme. A few seconds later, the cloaked figure appeared as well. As both of them waited for him to speak, he returned his attention to Sailor Moon's image as she raced toward the Crystal Palace.

He watched as two figures emerged. One, given the slight transparency, had to be the King of Crystal Tokyo. 'He's supposed to be dead,' Dimande thought, puzzled. 'By killing his past self, he should have ceased to exist.' The white prince leaned in to take a closer look at the second figure.

"No!" he roared, ready to leap to his feet and drag Serenity back. Endymion was alive! "I saw him die! How did he survive?!"

"Onii-san!" Saphir exclaimed, jumping forward and pushing his brother back into his seat. "You can't do anything until your leg heals!"

"How did he survive?" Dimande repeated, snarling. "He died, I saw him die." He thought for a moment. "It must have been a trick!" he realized. "Those sneaky Senshi and that foolish Endymion tricked me into bringing Serenity back to Earth!"

88888888

Usagi released her henshin as she ran, aiming straight for Mamoru. As soon as she reached him, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, paying no attention to the other man. "Mamo-chan!"

"Usako…" he tilted her head back so he could see her face. A frown creased his. "What happened to you?"

"What?" she asked, confused. She rubbed a hand over her eyes, wincing when it brushed against the bruises. "Oh. Um…"

His gaze focused on the bruising on her lips. "He kissed you," Mamoru stated. She nodded. "I could kill him for this."

"Iie, Mamo-chan," she murmured. "No killing. I'm safe now. We're together. That's all that matters."

Mamoru glanced at Mercury. "Is she all right?"

The blue-haired Senshi nodded. "My computer isn't picking up any negative energy. I would assume the Ginzuishou cleared it when she summoned it."

He ran cautious fingers over the bruises, focusing on his power. Golden sparks formed, sinking into her skin. When he pulled away, the marks had vanished. "Let's get you inside, Usako. It's not safe to have you out in the open until you've had time to rest and regain your strength. We also have a lot to talk about."

88888888

"So Chibiusa-chan is mine and Mamo-chan's daughter?" Usagi repeated, studying her friends. They nodded in agreement.

"That's what the King says," Mamoru confirmed.

"And the King is your future self and my husband?" she continued. "Wow. That's a far cry from the simple life I'd imagined."

Endymion's hologram was monitoring the computers, keeping an eye out for trouble. "We'll explain more later," he informed her. "You need to rest. Whether the Ginzuishou got rid of the evil energy or not, it still wasn't good for you to be exposed to it for so long."

Usagi nodded, already half falling asleep as she leaned against Mamoru.

"I'll take her to your room," Mamoru decided, easily picking her up. He carried her up the stairs leading to the King and Queen's chambers.

As he set her on the bed, she reached for him. "Iie, Mamo-chan. Don't leave," Usagi murmured. "Stay."

"Are you sure?" he asked gently. "You need to sleep."

She shook her head. "I don't want to be alone. It'll feel like I'm back in Dimande's castle," she explained, a little panic showing in her eyes.

"Shh, Usako, you're safe here. He can't hurt you," Mamoru soothed, stroking her hair. "I'll stay right here," he continued as he slipped her under the covers, indicating a chair."

"Iie, here," Usagi argued as she pointed at the bed. "Let me hold on to you tonight."

He smiled. "Okay, you win. Now will you go to sleep?"

"Hai," she whispered, eyelids fluttering closed. "Aishiteru, Mamo-chan."

"Aishiteru, Usako," he replied, holding her close.

88888888

AN: So yeah, this part is shorter than normal. Please don't kill me, but that seemed like such a sweet place to stop, since the last ending was kind of scary. Please review? Please? More reviews mean the next part gets written sooner.


	7. Part VII

AN: Hey, look, a new chapter! Again, sorry it's not very long, but I felt bad about not updating recently. Hopefully now that I have a more definite idea about where to go from here chapters will be released a little more quickly. Well, read and enjoy!

88888888

Mamoru woke up to the sound of screaming in his ears. He immediately sat up, wincing slightly at the pressure on his still-healing ribs, before turning his attention to the girl lying next to him, tears rolling down her face.

"Iie…" she whimpered. "Iie! Leave me alone!"

Mamoru's face tightened. His poor Usako was obviously having a nightmare, presumably related to the ordeals she'd been through. He slid an arm around her and shook her gently, trying to wake her up.

"Usako…" he murmured. "It's okay; you're alright. I won't let anyone hurt you. It's over…"

For five minutes, he continued to soothe the crying blonde. At some point, one tiny hand had wrapped itself in his shirt, holding him closer to her. She had thrashed around for a while before that, coming a matter of centimeters from hitting his chest.

"Usako, wake up," he urged. "You're safe here. It's just a nightmare."

Usagi stirred slightly, her grip on his shirt tightening. "Mamo-chan?" she whispered. "No, I'm dreaming, Dimande told me he was dead. Mamo-chan…" Tears began to course down her face once more.

"Oh, Usako," Mamoru said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that. Wake up, Usa. We need you."

Finally, when he had started to fear that she would just shut down after the hell she'd been through, her eyes fluttered open. "Oh, thank Kami. Usako, are you alright?"

"Mamo-chan?" Usagi whispered again. "Is that really you? Am I dreaming? You're supposed to be dead."

He laughed slightly, hugging her tightly. "No, I'm not a dream. You escaped, remember? You escaped and came back to me. My 'death' was a trick. I told you that."

Her blue eyes widened as the events of the past few days came back to her in their entirety. Without another word, she threw herself into her love's arms, weeping silently. He grimaced when she hit his chest, but held her close in an attempt to comfort her.

"Oh, Usa…" he breathed into her hair. "Shh… it's okay, Usako. You're okay. He can't touch you here. I should never have put you through all of this. It's my fault this happened to you," Mamoru added regretfully. "I should never have treated you so badly. Gomen nasai."

"It's… not your… fault," she managed to choke out past her tears. "It's Dimande's. He forced you to break up with me. He wanted to keep me away from you forever. Mamo-chan, I just couldn't bear that. I can't believe I erased my memories… It made things even easier for him."

"I know, Usako, but you can't be blamed for that. I pushed you too far for too long. I feel terrible for the way I treated you. You never deserved it and I should have known better than to trust a dream. Gomen," he repeated.

Usagi tilted her head up to study his face, making an effort to banish the tears from her own. "I don't blame you, Mamo-chan. Not for a minute. Aishiteru," she said, brushing a soft kiss over his lips as she continued to cling to him like a life-raft.

Mamoru laughed. "Aishiteru. You're amazing, Usako. You should be yelling at me, screaming that I was an evil person, not trying to comfort me over it. You're too good for me."

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't say that, ever!" she ordered. "You're the only one for me and always will be. You're just as good for me as I am for you." Her tone softened. "You don't have to apologize for something that wasn't your fault, Mamo-chan. He manipulated you. You have nothing to be sorry for."

The words had barely left her mouth before he kissed her again, effectively ending the conversation. When he released her, Usagi examined her clothes, noticing that the glamour she'd placed over them had faded during the night, revealing the dress Dimande had forced her to wear. She swore silently, knowing Mamoru would realize that it was unlikely that she had chosen it for herself. She began to count mentally, bracing for an explosion.

"Usako…" he breathed dangerously. "Tell me you dressed yourself in that."

She tensed, ducking her head to avoid his stare. "Umm… nope?" she replied. "I was wearing this when I woke up in Dimande's castle the first time."

"I see," he murmured. "Did our old friend do anything else I should know about?"

"Like what?" the nervous blonde squeaked.

"Any other inappropriate conduct. I already know he kissed you, which in and of itself is enough reason for me to want to kill him. Is there anything else?"

"Let me see- he yelled at me a lot, shook me, kept me locked up, oh, and he slapped me once after I tried calling you," Usagi listed. "Onegai, don't be mad, Mamo-chan."

The handsome upperclassman angled her head back so he could see her face. "He scared you," Mamoru stated. "For that alone I was furious. Raising a hand against you- I don't know how you can ask me to not do anything."

"For his brother's sake," she explained. "It was Dimande's brother Saphir that helped me while I was there. He only stays there out of loyalty to the last of his family. Saphir may very well have saved my life when he helped me leave the castle after I broke Dimande's kneecap."

An honest look of amusement crossed his face. "You broke his kneecap? Bravo, Usa. I'm proud of you, standing up for yourself like that even though you didn't have your powers to back you up." Mamoru gently disentangled her from him, easing her back onto the bed. "I need to go and work on getting my ribs healed more, so you can try to rest. I'll send in one of the Senshi to watch over you."

Usagi bit her lip. "I don't really want to sleep anymore, Mamo-chan. It seemed like I always was trapped in that bed in Dimande's castle. I want to be able to look around, if that's all right."

He watched her for a moment then nodded. "That should be fine, as long as King Endymion doesn't mind. You'll take at least one of the Senshi with you though," he warned her sternly. "We're not taking any chances of Dimande trying to grab you again if you inadvertently wander across the barrier."

Now Usagi studied him. "Mamo-chan, why aren't your ribs already healed? I've never known an injury to last with you. You're a healer."

Mamoru grinned sheepishly. "I didn't take the time to do a proper healing ritual because I was too busy trying to find a way to rescue you. After that, I didn't want to let you out of my sight. Now that you seem to be okay, I can take the half hour to finish. The King has been teaching me a little about using more of the Earth magic, although he clams up rather quickly sometimes. Pluto's orders, I guess."

"Pluto?" Usagi inquired, head tilted slightly to one side.

He looked confused for a moment before he understood. "That's right; you didn't meet her. Sailor Pluto is the Guardian of Time. She's watching Chibiusa-chan for us while we're in this century."

"Oh," the petite blonde murmured, chewing her bottom lip. "We should head back. What if there are problems in our time and the Senshi aren't there to fix it?"

"Are you all right with remembering and fighting again, Usako?" Mamoru asked worriedly. "By the way, we need to have a _long_ discussion about why that was a terrible idea."

"I'll be fine, Mamo-chan. Now that I know what happened, I don't mind. You need to go take care of your ribs, and I'll go explore for a little while," she chirped, her good humor restored by the rest and by having her freedom.

The dark-haired hero of Tokyo laughed. "Hai, hai. Remember what I said, though. You're not allowed to leave the palace without your Senshi."

"Oh, fine," the younger girl muttered darkly. "Honestly, I screw up once and now I can't be trusted to walk around on my own."

"It's not you I don't trust, Usako. It's Dimande," Mamoru explained soothingly. "Be a good little princess and listen. I'm doing this for your own good."

"I know," Usagi replied, softening. "It'll be nice to spend time with the girls." She stood up and started pushing him out the door. "Those ribs need attention. Really, you should have taken care of it when this happened."

Laughter rang through the halls as they left the royal suite.

88888888

Fog. A dark, forbidding place. Lights flash and cries of pain are heard. A desperate voice screams, "Small Lady!"

88888888

Mamoru knelt in the gardens, preparing for his healing ritual. Choruses of giggling sounded. 'Usako must be enjoying having her friends back,' he thought before turning his attention back to his task. Placing his palms flat on the ground, he focused. A golden aura sprung into being around the dark-haired man and the earth flashed green in response. Some of the ice and damage from the Black Moon Clan's attacks began to repair as the planet responded to its prince's touch.

The golden aura of the Terran Prince brightened nearly to blinding, and a burst of magic shot out, catching him in the chest. The broken ribs healed instantaneously and perfectly, and an area several meters around Mamoru had returned to its typical state, while a much vaster range showed improvement. The black and midnight blue armor of his station formed, completing the transition to Prince Endymion.

"I think you overdid it on the magic a bit," a voice observed behind him. The young prince whirled, his hand falling to the sword on his hip, but he relaxed when he saw the King's hologram.

"Why haven't you healed yourself?" the younger man asked curiously. "You're probably much more capable of doing so than I am."

"The Earth has suffered a great deal of damage. It would require an unusually large amount of power to heal the wounds I've received, and that's more power than the planet can spare," King Endymion explained. "Had almost any other incurred such injuries, there would be next to no chance of survival. Without my protectors' aide, I probably would not have lived."

"Protectors?"

The King smiled slightly. "Time reasons, you understand. I can't say anything that would upset the timeline."

A rustling in the bushes nearby alerted the two royals, who quickly turned to face it. The Prince's hand started to drift back to his sword as he tensed.

Sailor Pluto fell through a gap in the shrubbery, gasping. As the men raced forward, they easily noted the blood and bruising on her face and the rents in her Senshi's fuku.

"Small… Lady…" she gasped. "We were… attacked… They took… Small Lady… and left this." She offered the stunned royalty a small roll of parchment. Prince Endymion took it as he returned to his modern self.

_Princess Serenity of the Moon and Prince Endymion of the Earth, Greetings,_

_As I'm sure you're aware by this time, we have captured the younger princess, Princess "Small Lady" Serenity. If you desire to have the child, your child, you must obey our demands. First, a trade: the Princess of Crystal Tokyo for the Moon Princess. The Ginzuishou, too, will be given in trade. If you fail to comply, we will have no choice but to keep the Princess._

_His Majesty, Prince Dimande of Nemesis_

The King's hologram paled. "My baby?" he whispered. "He stole my baby?"

Mamoru nodded. "And he wants Usako and the Ginzuishou in her place. Now what? Pluto, was this supposed to happen?" he turned his attention back to the wounded Guardian of Time.

The olive-haired woman shook her head. "Not in this fashion. Since time has changed, King Endymion can tell some more. Small Lady was captured by the enemy, yes, but it was partially her own doing. Too much has changed; history is not playing out as it should. If we don't act quickly, this timeline may be completely destroyed."

As she spoke, Mamoru quickly catalogued her injuries. The only major problem was fatigue; there must have been a great many opponents. The others were minor, easily healed. "If I may?" he asked, reaching for her hand.

Pluto nodded gratefully, watching with passive eyes as the healing powers flowed over the myriad small cuts and bruises. Her fuku reworked itself to become whole and all marks disappeared from her skin. "I don't know what I can do to salvage this situation, Endymion," she said, facing the King. "Already time fluctuations are beginning. Fortunately, nothing yet has happened to deter the coming of Crystal Tokyo and the birth of Small Lady, but new possible futures are starting to appear as well."

"So what must I do?" a new female voice asked. Spinning, the others recognized Usagi, worry on her pale face. Mamoru bit the inside of his lip; he knew what she was thinking. "Do I give myself up to rescue Chibiusa?"

The older Senshi shook her head. "You can't do that, my Princess. You are the key to the future."

"I can already guess what started this," Usagi murmured. "I erased my memories, and it changed everything. Can I use the Ginzuishou to undo this?"

Mamoru opened his mouth to protest, but Pluto beat him to it. "Absolutely not. The amount of power that requires would kill you. Indeed, that would be enough to level your time's Tokyo. Reversing time is not the answer."

"Then what is?" Usagi snapped. "Should I leave Chibiusa in their hands? Should I give myself up? WHAT DO I DO TO FIX THIS?"

Tears began to streak silently down her face as she yelled. Mamoru walked up and wrapped her in an embrace. "No one is blaming you, Usako. Time is flexible; I'm sure Pluto would tell you that there are always multiple possible futures."

The Time Guardian nodded. "He's right. As things stand now, there are many futures. Crystal Tokyo is simply the most likely of them. What worries me most about the new futures appearing is that very few of them contain any happiness."

Usagi took a few deep, calming breaths, trying to address the situation logically. "Senshi meeting, now. We need everyone else to know and I want their suggestions."

88888888

As the Senshi tried to determine the proper course of action, Chibiusa was busy screaming at her captors in true Moon Princess style.

"Let me go!" she yelped as the moonbeam appeared on her forehead. "Mama isn't going to give you her Crystal. I wanna go HHHOOOMMMEEE!!!"

Dimande laughed as he watched her antics. "You do certainly act a great deal like your mother. It isn't really the Ginzuishou I'm after, Rabbit, although that would be a nice bonus."

"Don't call me Rabbit!" she snapped. "If you must address me, you may call me Small Lady. And leave Mama alone too!"

"I'm not really inclined to listen to orders from a small child, Rabbit," Dimande drawled. "I'm sure Princess Serenity would give herself up to save you. The future Neo Queen Serenity…"

"Leave Usagi alone!" the child repeated. "She doesn't know who she is anymore."

"Her memories came back already," the white prince remarked. "While she was visiting here, in fact."

"Visiting?" Chibiusa snorted. "Unless it's voluntary, it's generally referred to as being held hostage. You'll leave my Mama alone if you know what's good for you, or Daddy will kill you."

"Mmm, yes, Endymion might try. He does have a terrible temper when it comes to her safety."

"Of course he does," she smirked. "They're meant to be together forever and ever, and nothing can ever tear them apart. Daddy would do anything for Mama."

"Like break her heart in order to protect her?" the man asked maliciously. "I'm afraid your dear father doesn't always make your mother happy."

"How did you- you! You did that to them! You caused all of these bad things to happen! It's your fault that Mama and Daddy were so sad!" the girl shrieked at a pitch that would make a banshee proud. "You're a terrible man! I hope baka Usagi doesn't give herself up for me! You could never deserve her!"

Dimande's blue-violet eyes narrowed dangerously. "You would be wise to watch your tongue here, Rabbit. So far you have been amusing, but you're treading thin ice," he warned. "Wiseman!"

The dark caped figure appeared, hovering about an inch above the crystal floors. "You called, my prince?"

"Take the child and do something with her. She's wearing on my nerves," he ordered.

"As you wish, Your Highness," Wiseman intoned as he grabbed Chibiusa's wrist and vanished.

88888888

AN: Yeah, not a nice place to stop, I know, but I should be doing work right now anyway. Keep in mind, I like reviews, and the more I get the more likely it is that I'll want to write. Please?


	8. Part VIII

AN: Okay, here's the newest installment of "Consequences of Forgetting." Hopefully, you'll like it. Unfortunately, I've been seeing a down slide on number of reviews *sniffle*, but hopefully that can change, right? Just kidding, but that would be nice. Time for me to stop babbling inanely; on with the story!

88888888

The group sat in stunned silence upon hearing the news.

"To recap, a number of foes ambushed Sailor Pluto at the Time Door and kidnapped Chibiusa-chan. In order to rescue her, Prince Dimande wants Usagi-chan and the Ginzuishou, correct?" Mercury asked. The group had re-henshined to be ready at a moment's notice.

Tuxedo Kamen nodded. "I have no doubt he knows that Chibiusa is our child in the future and he wants to see that future destroyed."

The six heroes of Tokyo turned to face King Endymion and Sailor Pluto. "What now?" Mars demanded. "We obviously can't just hand over Usagi-chan or the Ginzuishou, but we can't leave Chibiusa-chan there either."

Sailor Moon frowned. "That place… hurts. Does Chibiusa's powers work mostly the same way as mine?" she asked.

The King nodded. "In terms of power, at least at her age, she's almost totally Lunarian, although she does have a few aspects more typical of a Terran. For the sake of this discussion, you can consider her magic to be identical to your own."

"Then she's going to be much weaker there, and she might get sick," she continued. "An attack on their base would be pointless as well, since my power would be useless and yours would be impeded. Subtlety is called for."

A number of shocked stares were directed at her. Eventually, Venus managed to speak. "Usagi-chan, when did you become a tactician?"

The Senshi of the Moon blushed a bright red. "Well… umm… a long time ago?"

"But how?" Jupiter prodded. "You act like a ditz all the time."

A dark frown flitted over the blonde's face. "That was to keep us safe. I'm really not as stupid as everyone assumes. If an enemy was looking for me, and you know I would be the first target, a girl that acted like a warrior would be too suspicious. So, I chose to hide behind the girl I used to be so no one would notice."

Mercury smiled. "Mamoru-san already knew?" she questioned gently. "Now that I think about it, I'm not very surprised. After all, you managed to escape Dimande without us, and you always save us at the last possible moment. Without you, we would never have made it off of Rubeus' ship or survived the confrontation with Queen Beryl."

The masked hero nodded. "Usako explained it to me shortly after I got my memories back. Princess Serenity was highly intelligent, and even in these times, you'd have to be rather clever to come up with some of the insults she's thrown at me."

"I'm proud of you, Usagi," Mars said sweetly. "So, O illustrious leader, what do we do now?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "I had help escaping. I also don't know if she has a psychic bond to anyone like mine and Mamo-chan's, which helped me a lot."

The King paced, considering. "You should be able to form one with your Ginzuishou, if you feel up to it. Since Small Lady is a Lunarian, it should be easier to do than with anyone else."

"Even through the effects of the Evil Black Crystal?"

"Your Senshi were able to send you energy through it," he replied. "If nothing else, you can try, unless there are other ideas?"

The group began to toss ideas around as Sailor Moon relaxed slightly to think. 'I escaped because Saphir helped me. He called me a child, one that didn't deserve to have their life torn away. Chibiusa-chan is even younger, and so helpless. Could Saphir help me again?'

"That's it!" the Moon Senshi burst in, taking everyone by surprise. "That's perfect!"

"What's perfect?" Venus asked cautiously. "Mercury's idea?"

"Hmm? Mercury's idea? No clue," she said vaguely before her tone turned bubbly. "I know exactly how to help!"

"By…" Mars prodded when the blonde stopped.

"Hehe… on second thought, you guys would probably kill me if I tried…"

Jupiter rolled her eyes. "We won't know unless you tell us the plan, Usagi-chan."

"Well, okay. I can sneak back into Dimande's castle using the Luna Disguise Pen and try to get help."

Stares were aimed at her from all directions. Sailor Moon scrunched her shoulders and ducked her head trying to avoid them.

"That… is too stupid for words," Mars decided. "Yes, let's have what Dimande wants walk right into his castle."

"He won't know I'm there," the blonde argued. "There's a hidden passage that leads to a place that only my friend spends any amount of time in. He might help me, since he said he was against hurting innocent children."

"Usagi-chan," Mercury sighed. "Maybe someone else, but you definitely can't go."

"I have to, Ami-chan. He wouldn't talk to anyone else, and I know how to get there," the Senshi of the Moon stated. "None of the rest of you has been inside. I would take you with me, but the Luna Pen can't cover that many and someone would detect you."

"One person can sneak in?" Venus chimed in. "I can see the logic in this, Usagi, but Ami-chan is right. You can't."

"Minna, I have to," the petite blonde pled. "I'll have the Ginzuishou with me too, to keep me safe. Mamo-chan can talk to me from here, so you won't have to worry about losing contact. Let me try. For Chibiusa's sake."

"Usako, how can you ask us to send you into a dangerous situation when you just got out? You're too important to risk like that," Tuxedo Kamen said determinedly.

"King Endymion?" the girl appealed, turning to face the troubled monarch. "I can do this; I know I can. It's my fault your daughter is in danger, so can't I try to save her?" She turned on her best puppy-dog pout.

Endymion winced, trying to avoid catching her gaze. Even at fourteen, she knew exactly how to manipulate him. One would assume that after a thousand years he would have more resistance to her. "She's probably right," he admitted grudgingly. "Her ally inside is unlikely to assist anyone else. Although I have to admit, I'm curious. Who is this mysterious ally of yours, Sailor Moon?"

Suddenly, she was intently gazing at the jewel atop the Luna Pen. "Well… it's hard to explain…"

"Spill it, Odango Atama," Mars commanded. "If, and I do mean IF, we decide to let you go on this wild escapade, we need to know who it is we're trusting with your safety."

"If you must know," the Senshi of the Moon said primly, "it's Prince Dimande's younger brother, Saphir. He went against his brother's orders to help me. Obviously, he can't be found out, or he'll probably be killed. None of you can say anything about this to anyone," she stressed.

"Prince Saphir is helping you?" Endymion asked contemplatively. "That changes things a bit. I'd nearly forgotten he existed. Saphir was always much more kind and compassionate than his brother. If he's helped you so far, there's no reason to stop trusting him now."

"He couldn't do too much, you understand, but he did help me escape when he saw the bruises on my face," she explained. "He told me he had been your friend in the Silver Millennium, Mamo-chan."

Tuxedo Kamen shifted through old, half-forgotten memories. "I'm not positive, but I think he was. There are a few images of us laughing together in my mind."

The King nodded. "Just like Dimande spent time on the Moon, so did his brother. He made fast friends with my protectors and I. After his clan's exile, we kept in touch for a time until Dimande interceded."

"That's so sad," Jupiter observed. "You were friends, but Dimande's betrayal destroyed everything. It's no wonder he helped Usagi-chan. I think I remember him a little too. Blue hair and eyes like Ami-chan, right? Very pale, but he looks vaguely similar to Mamoru-san. He was the one that warned the Senshi that Dimande was going to try and kill Prince Endymion."

"That's him," the King confirmed. "A large number of people had assumed that Saphir and I were brothers until they saw the black crescent. Saphir was a good man two thousand years ago. I doubt his brother could have destroyed that in him."

The group began bickering back and forth about whether a few memories of a long time past and Usagi's word that he would help were sufficient to allow her to make the attempt. Sailor Moon rose and excused herself, saying she needed some air. Tuxedo Kamen looked up at her worriedly, but she gave him a wan smile.

"Don't worry; I can keep in touch," she reminded him, tapping her forehead. He hesitated, but nodded.

"Don't go too far, Usako. Please stay close to the palace."

She laughed and waved as she slipped out the door. Quickly, she headed for the side door that led the closest to the tunnel Saphir had sent her through in her escape. As she jogged forward, she reached out a hand as the Luna Pen fell out of her sub-space pocket.

("Gomen nasai, Mamo-chan,") the Senshi of the Moon whispered through their mental link. ("I had to, for Chibiusa's sake,") she explained before she pulled away from his mind. A faint roar was heard from the planning room inside the palace, as well as a number of racing footsteps. Knowing she didn't have a lot of time, the girl focused on the Disguise Pen.

"Moon Power!" she called. "Turn me into a member of the Black Moon Family!" The usual rainbow of lights followed, and the newly disguised warrior ducked into the passage as she started to run.

88888888

Even as the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen reached the entrance to the tunnel, they knew they had lost. Chasing Usagi further would only make it harder for her to get in and out undetected, and she was already too far ahead to catch before she could make her move.

"Damn it!" The masked hero of Tokyo shouted. "She said she was getting air, not trying her mad plan regardless of what we said!"

Sailor Mercury frowned, shaking her head. "There's no way for us to help her now; if anything being here runs the risk of exposing her."

"So now we have to place our hopes on a man that may or may not be willing to help her?" Mars asked hollowly.

"It most certainly looks that way," Venus agreed. "For Chibiusa-chan or not, she shouldn't have been so foolish."

Jupiter punched a nearby wall. "We just got our Princess back, and now she's running right back into that monster's hands! How could she be so- so-"

"Usagi?" the Senshi of Fire contributed.

Tuxedo Kamen scowled deeply. "She's blocking our link, at least at the moment. I can't talk to her and try to get her to pull out."

Sailor Pluto just looked on sadly, knowing that few paths stemming from this moment resulted in anything similar to a happy future for her princess.

88888888

Sailor Moon crept down the halls as she entered the Dark Palace. The negative energy threatened to destroy her disguise, but the power of the Ginzuishou kept it up. It wouldn't be unless she was put in an environment specifically filled with the Evil Black Crystal's power that her own would be useless. Slipping into Saphir's laboratory, the tiny blonde settled into a hiding place to wait.

Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long. Within ten minutes, Saphir entered alone, glancing around curiously. "You can come out, Serenity. I know you're here."

She rose to face him curiously. "How did you know I was here?"

"I cast a spell earlier to hide your presence in the tunnels so no one would know I was helping you. I felt your energy reenter as it reactivated the cloaking," he explained patiently. "What could possibly bring you back here?"

The Moon Senshi scuffled her feet awkwardly. "I had to. Dimande has my daughter. I was hoping you might be able to help me save her."

The blue-haired prince sighed, leaning against the table. "It's a miracle I didn't get caught for helping you before, Princess. You would ask me to risk my life again to defy my brother?"

"If I can't find a way to save Chibiusa, I'll give myself up," the girl admitted softly. "I can't leave my daughter here. If you won't help me or have to hand me over to your brother, I'll understand. I still have the Ginzuishou as a bargaining tool. He can't take it without my permission."

Saphir's head lifted as he faced her. "I didn't help you escape in order to give you back to Dimande, Serenity. I'll have to think about helping you again, but you have my word that I won't turn you in."

A warm smile lit the petite blonde's face. "Arigato, Saphir. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

"Don't thank me until you know how things will work out," the man warned. "Even if I decide to help you, my brother could discover your presence at any time. You'll be less noticeable if you avoid using large amounts of magic. De-henshin and come with me; I'll show you some maps and teach you a few more ways out of the castle in case you ever need to make a hurried exit."

88888888

It was hours later when Usagi finally made contact with Mamoru, knowing he would be worried sick.

("Mamo-chan?") she asked tentatively.

("Usako! You get back here right now!") he ordered sharply. ("You can't put yourself at risk like this!")

A slight frown creased her face. ("I can't turn back now. I'm making some progress; if I'm lucky Chibiusa and I will be back at the Palace by nightfall.")

("There has to be another way,") the handsome upperclassman pled. ("Onegai, come back where it's safe. We'll find a different way to save her.")

("I'll save her. It's my fault she was in trouble to begin with. Saphir is teaching me more ways in and out of this place. He hasn't decided if he'll help me rescue Chibiusa yet, but he might.") Usagi glanced around as she heard footsteps approaching. ("I have to go; I'll be back in touch later,") she assured him before pushing him away again.

"Serenity?" a voice called after the door opened and closed again. "You're still here, aren't you?"

"I'm here," the Senshi replied softly. "Is something wrong?"

Saphir hurried forward, a worried expression on his face. "Not yet, but soon. Wiseman is planning on turning the child to the Dark Moon shortly."

Usagi blanched. "No… I have to save her before that can happen."

The blue-haired man nodded. "I can't condone something like this. She needs to leave. I'll help as much as possible. How much power can you use here?"

The Moon Senshi considered the question. "As long as Dimande doesn't turn the Evil Black Crystal's attention to me, I'm relatively unhindered. I can't resurrect the dead, but I can create disguises or dust droids."

A slight smile crossed his pale face. "I hope you brought your running shoes, then. If all goes well, we'll be able to get the child out quickly."

88888888

Saphir led a newly re-henshined Sailor Moon through the castle's secret passages as they approached Wiseman's domain.

"I'll distract him for a few moments with some questions about our plans. You'll have to run in and grab the child. As soon as you have her, hurry. As fast as you can, I want you to slip out one of the exits I showed you," he outlined. "Hopefully, they won't realize I was there as a decoy, but even if they do, I don't regret helping you."

Sailor Moon laid a hand on his arm. "If they do, I hope that you'll try to leave. The Senshi and I will help you, or I'll come back and free you. I owe you so much for everything you've done for me."

The blue-haired prince of the Black Moon Clan quickly directed her to a secret passage that ran parallel to the Wiseman's work room and showed her a door that led inside. "Remember, as soon as you can." At her nod, he slipped out again and headed for the main entrance.

88888888

Wiseman circled Chibiusa where she sat on the floor, determinedly fighting back tears. Focusing on his crystal ball, he began to draw on the dark energy that would be needed to change the young Princess of Crystal Tokyo. A knock sounded at the door, drawing his attention.

"Come in," the caped figure rasped, noticing that it was the prince's meddlesome brother.

"Wiseman," Saphir began, bowing, "how many droids must I prepare for the next few attacks, and of what caliber?"

Prince Dimande's 'advisor' pondered for a few moments, trying to determine how many would be necessary once he succeeded in turning the Rabbit. He began to turn to face the tiny figure, and then snapped around more quickly when he saw streamers of blonde hair whip by, the pink-haired child nestled safely in her arms.

Quickly raising his crystal, Wiseman sent a bolt of dark power after the fleeing Sailor Moon. At the last moment, the super heroine dodged to the side and kept running, following the hidden tunnel she had used to enter.

88888888

A loud crash sounded next to her as the blonde Senshi dodged, barely missing her thigh. Moving at an all-out sprint, she threw herself into the tunnel.

A small hand brushed over her face wonderingly, and the Moon Senshi shifted her gaze to her future daughter. "Are you all right, Chibiusa-chan?" she gasped, turning another corner just as another bolt sprang in her direction.

The pink-haired girl nodded. "Arigato, Sailor Moon, for rescuing me," she murmured as she glanced behind them. "Sailor Moon, look out!"

The blonde managed to shoot a quick look at her pursuers, noting that their numbers were growing exponentially. "Shimatta!" she cursed, narrowly turning another corner in time to dodge.

Panting for breath, Sailor Moon was nearly ready to drop when she spotted the passage she had been searching for. "Yes!" she whispered. "Chibiusa, even if I don't make it, run down that tunnel. I'll keep them from following you. The other Senshi are at the Crystal Palace. They'll protect you. Do you understand me?"

As the little girl nodded, her future mother began to reach out with her mind. ("Mamo-chan?") she shrieked.

("Usako? What's wrong?") came the worried response.

("I've got Chibiusa-chan; she's on her way to you,") she explained just as she shoved the little Princess in the passage. ("I might be a bit delayed since I have to keep them from following her.")

("Be careful, Usa,") Mamoru managed before he was cut off.

The Moon Senshi straightened, pulling her Moon Scepter to her hands. "If you want her, you have to get through me!" she yelled threateningly as the droids prepared to attack. A flaming sword crashed into the wall nearby.

"All right!" she called. "Just remember, I warned you! MOON PRINCESS HALATION!" Sweeping the beam around, Sailor Moon's attack took down droid after droid. Unfortunately, the attack, combined with the effects the Evil Black Crystal had on her, was quickly exhausting her, and the droids began to regroup.

The petite blonde decided not to give them that chance. Cutting off her Halation, she dove for the tunnel she had thrust her future daughter through, only to be pulled back by her streaming pigtails.

"Lay one more hand on her and die," a cold voice warned. "She is not to be harmed."

The droid that had caught her was thrown against a wall as she was lifted to her feet.

88888888

AN: Okay, so that is really a mean place to cut it off, but I seem to enjoy writing cliffhangers. My sincere apologies. With any luck, a new chapter should be up in a few days. Please review! I may be more inspired to write if you do.


	9. Part IX

AN: Hey, I'm so, soooo sorry for taking so long. School took up a lot of time lately and then I had a migraine for a week, so I couldn't really write. I really hope everyone likes this new chapter, though, so enjoy!

88888888

Chibiusa practically flew down the tunnel, hearing the sound of fighting behind her. A part of her wanted to turn back and try to help Sailor Moon, but she knew it was folly. The older girl was a much more experienced warrior, and she had given very strict orders on what to do. As the tiny child reached the end, she noted several figures standing in a semicircle outside.

She burst out into the clean air and practically fell into the Senshi's arms. "Chibiusa-chan! Are you all right? Where's Sailor Moon?" the four women demanded in unison.

"I don't know where Sailor Moon is," the little princess cried. "She said she was going to follow me, but I heard fighting. She told me I had to keep going to you no matter what!"

The others exchanged worried looks. "You did the right thing, Chibiusa-chan," Mars said softly. "She didn't want you to get hurt." Lifting her carefully into her arms, the fiery Senshi tried to comfort the whimpering girl. Giving up, she handed her precious burden to Sailor Pluto.

"Hush now, Small Lady," the Time Guardian soothed. "Sailor Moon knew what she was doing when she went after you. All she wanted, all any of us wanted, was for you to come home safely."

The pink-haired child turned to face her future father, who was pacing fiercely in tight strides. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama?"

Mamoru's heart melted slightly when he saw the look on the little girl's face. She expected him to blame her for the blonde not being with her. "It's okay, Chibiusa-chan. She'll be all right. Sailor Moon can do anything," he reassured her. 'I just hope I'm right.'

88888888

"Dimande!" the Senshi of the Moon yelped, trying desperately to pull away.

"So nice to see you again, Sailor Moon," the white prince drawled softly. His arms caged her in as he held her from behind, not even noticing her struggling. "I wasn't sure if you'd come for the child or not, although I have to admit I more expected you to just give yourself up."

"Never!" she bit out, still fighting his grasp. The grip around her stomach tightened, moving her closer.

"You see, Princess, now that you've come home, you're never leaving again," he murmured in her ear just as the Evil Black Crystal's energy filled the room. He watched curiously as her henshin dissolved, noting that it was centered around the broach she wore on her fuku. Moments later, the unconscious girl slumped in his arms. He lifted her easily. Before he could teleport back to his chambers, his brother appeared in front of him.

"You caught her?" Saphir asked softly, eyes trained on the blonde Senshi. "Did the child escape?"

Dimande nodded curtly. "It doesn't matter; it was her I was after. How did she manage to return?"

"I don't know; I was discussing how many droids would be needed for the next production with Wiseman when she appeared," the blue-haired prince replied, being entirely truthful. He had been discussing droids with Wiseman and he didn't know how she got there, but not in the sense that had been asked. Saphir couldn't understand how she'd managed to evade her Senshi to do so.

The older man accepted his words, but a vague suspicion nagged him. Both times Serenity had succeeded at one of her stunts, his brother was nearby or had been recently… It was probably just a coincidence.

Teleporting, he arrived at his private suite and placed her carefully on his bed. The shifting had her begin to stir, but the Evil Black Crystal's power began to permeate the room, quickly rendering her more deeply unconscious.

"You won't escape this time, Serenity," he whispered in her ear as she tried to move away, even in her unconscious state. He plucked the broach from her outfit easily, but as he opened it, the Ginzuishou flashed and disappeared. Dimande frowned darkly. "The Ginzuishou may protect itself, darling, but your luck has run out. You'll never leave me again."

88888888

Tuxedo Kamen paced like a caged tiger, his cloak billowing behind him ominously. "If she wasn't in trouble, she'd be back by now!" he roared, shattering the uneasy silence. Chibiusa had been put to bed, so they could speak freely without scaring her.

"We don't know that," Mercury said soothingly, at the same time knowing it was a lie. "She could just be hiding, waiting for a good time to escape."

Jupiter sighed. Watching the masked hero pace was only succeeding in making her restless. "Mamoru-san, sit down!" she ordered sharply as she pushed him into a chair. "You'll just wear yourself out."

He tried to stand back up, but a fist was held threateningly in his face, so he subsided. "Well, I can't just sit here!" he yelled. "I have to help her!"

"Can you reach her at all?" Mars demanded. "Does she respond? Hell, is she even conscious?"

The Moon Senshi's savior reached out with his mind, following the link that always took him instinctively to his love, then shook his head. "She's definitely unconscious, and probably not well. She can't hear me; she doesn't respond."

"Shimatta!" Venus swore. "Some guardians we are! She barely escaped before and now she's a prisoner again!"

"It's not your fault, Venus," Pluto remarked as she entered the room. "Your princess is a stubborn young woman. There was little that could have been done to stop her."

"How's Chibiusa?" Mercury asked. "Is she all right?"

"She's sleeping now. She's very worried about Sailor Moon, though, and blames herself for her capture," the Guardian of Time responded. "You'll need to watch her closely, or she may decide to prove just how much like her mother she is. I have to go back to the Time Door now, though. If you need me, King Endymion knows how to contact me."

With her final words, Pluto raised her Time Staff over her head as a portal formed, leading back to her post. She waved farewell as she stepped through, and the opening snapped closed behind her.

"Great, now I feel like our chances of rescuing Usagi-chan just got much better," Mars drawled sarcastically. "Why couldn't she have stayed? We need all the Senshi help we can get!"

King Endymion shuffled awkwardly. He knew Mercury was beginning to suspect, but he couldn't remember with the others. "Well, about that…"

88888888

As the King of Crystal Tokyo tried to decide how best to handle the situation in his palace, Usagi began to wake up again. She sat up and looked around, immediately noting where she was. 'And I had hoped it was all a dream…'

"Ah, the sleeping princess wakes. I had thought a kiss was required, by your stories, but I suppose not. Such a pity, really."

A growl ripped the air as the petite blonde noticed the room's other occupant. "Go away!" she snapped darkly. "Haven't you tortured me enough already?"

"Torture?" Dimande repeated incredulously. "My dear, I would do no such thing! I simply wished to prevent you running away from me."

"I have no reason to stay, do I?" she retorted hotly. "Let me leave and we'll forget any of this happened. The Senshi and I have no desire for war."

The white prince shook his head. "Don't be delusional, Serenity. You escaped before, but it won't happen again. You'll be staying here, with me, until you die."

"I'll get right on that, then," the teen yelled, "because I most definitely won't be staying here. Even if you try, it won't work. I'll escape on my own or my friends will save me!"

"Without this?" he asked, holding up her pink henshin broach. "You don't have much power without it."

"I managed it before, didn't I?" Usagi pointed out, desperately grabbing the threads of hope she had left. She couldn't leave without her broach; the Ginzuishou was inside. Leaving it with Dimande would be suicidal.

("Actually, it isn't,") a voice informed her.

"What?" the blonde gasped aloud, startled.

"Why, whatever do you mean, Princess?" the man questioned, curiosity piqued by her change of tone.

The girl thought quickly, trying to cover her error. "Umm… what do you mean I don't have much power without it? I'm a princess, after all."

("Yes, that makes a lot of sense,") the voice drawled.

Dimande began to pursue the topic, but the door appeared as the Wiseman entered. "Yes? What is it?"

"Might I have a word, Your Highness?" the caped figure rasped. "About the girl?"

The prince's eyes rolled. "Yes, fine, I'm coming." He turned his attention back to his captive. "Be patient, Serenity, I'll return shortly," he smirked as he strolled leisurely out the door. As he left, a chain appeared around one ankle, anchoring her to the bed.

"Shimatta!" the Senshi of the Moon swore, studying the links in hopes of discovering a means of destroying them. Instead of the cold metal he had used previously, this chain appeared to be made of crystal of some sort. "No," she wailed, realizing he had trapped her using a more physical form of the Evil Black Crystal. The cuff was slightly padded, keeping the horrid thing from touching her skin, but she could still feel it siphoning away her energy.

("Usagi, listen to me!") the voice yelled. ("The Ginzuishou is not in the broach!")

("And who are you?")

("You of all people should know perfectly well who I am, Usagi, or do you have a lot of voices in your head? I'm the princess, of course,") she was informed.

("Princess Serenity?") Usagi asked, shocked. ("When did you start being a voice in my head? Normally we share the same consciousness.")

("This normally won't happen,") the heir to the Silver Millennium explained, ("but this was urgent. You don't have all your memories of your past, so I know more about how the Ginzuishou functions than you do. Do you remember how you got it?")

("Of course,") Usagi replied with a shrug. ("After Mamo-chan was stabbed protecting me, I cried and the Nijizuishou flew to me and formed the Ginzuishou. It was a terrible day. What about it?")

("Your powers activated it. When it feels a threat to you or itself, the Crystal will retreat into your body for safekeeping. The Nijizuishou were only shards of the physical Ginzuishou; its powers hid in you. The difference now is that the whole thing is inside you instead of just its magic.")

("After this, are we going to go back to being one person?") the modern-day teen wondered. ("It's really weird talking to myself.")

At that, the princess laughed. ("Yes, it is strange, isn't it? Don't worry; this won't become a regular occurrence. Unfortunately, I can't stay and chat. Prince Dimande is on his way back. Be careful, little one.") With that parting remark, the voice vanished.

"Little one," the Moon Senshi scoffed. "We're the same person, so how am I 'little one'?"

"Talking to yourself, Princess?" the white prince drawled. "Isn't that typically considered a sign of madness?"

"Why would you care?" she retorted sharply. "You intend to drive me mad regardless, keeping me locked up like this."

"You're free to go wherever you like in this suite, actually," he informed her. "That chain will grow to accommodate. It will simply prevent you from leaving, even if you found a way out."

"That's so generous of you," the blonde snapped. "After all, what's better than a false sense of freedom?"

Dimande frowned. "You're far too sharp-tongued today, Serenity. You should sleep; perhaps it would help you regain a more even temperament." He stalked out, leaving her alone once again.

88888888

"Saphir!" his older brother called as he paced down the corridor. "A word, if you don't mind."

Just as the crowned prince settled in his throne, the second heir appeared. "Hai, onii-san?"

"Wiseman tells me you were acting suspiciously," the white-haired man said quietly. "Please reassure me you had nothing to do with Serenity's earlier escape and subsequent rescue attempt."

Saphir frowned slightly. "Wiseman has never trusted me, onii-san, you know that. I told you already I don't know how she got here. Perhaps her Senshi helped her out of the castle when she escaped."

Prince Dimande sighed, waving one hand vaguely. "Attend to Serenity, should she need anything. I have to think."

"Hai," the blue-haired man responded, teleporting away.

'Who do I trust the most? My brother or the Wiseman?'

88888888

As Usagi struggled to come up with a plan to escape, she heard someone approaching. A strained-looking Saphir strode in, a dark expression on his otherwise handsome face. The girl stared at him for a long moment. "Saphir! Are you all right? What's wrong? Oh, thank Selene you're here."

The worried man eased himself into a seated position on the edge of her bed. "Wiseman suspects that I've been helping you, and he told my brother. I don't think Dimande has reached a decision yet, though."

"Saphir, you need to leave," the Moon Senshi begged. "I can't let you get killed for saving me like you did. Go to my Senshi; they'll protect you, and Mamo-chan will too."

"I may yet take you up on that, princess, but I can't abandon you here either. If I'm already doomed, I may as well help as much as I can first."

Usagi threw her arms around his neck, giving him a hug. "Please, Saphir, go. Your brother won't kill me. I'll survive, and I'll find a way home again. Don't make this any harder for yourself than it already is."

Laughing slightly, the blue-haired prince wrapped his arms around the upset girl in a comforting gesture. "You're an amazing person, Serenity. I can understand why Endymion has followed you even through death."

"What is this?" a cold voice from the doorway demanded. "Saphir? Was Wiseman telling the truth?"

The petite blonde and her friend both turned to face the entry, expressions edging toward dread. A blast of dark power caught the man in the chest, throwing him toward the wall. The small Senshi screamed, jumping to her feet and running that direction as fast as she possibly could, barely making it in time to superimpose her body between Saphir's and the floor.

"Saphir, are you all right?" the girl asked desperately. "Please be okay!"

"Who would have expected my own brother to betray me?" Dimande snapped, striding in their direction. "You helped her escape; admit it!"

"Iie, Saphir, leave," Usagi whispered. "Don't waste any more time. He might kill you."

The younger prince smiled faintly at her concerned expression as he forced himself to his feet. "Yes, I helped Serenity escape, just as I helped her rescue her daughter. Onii-san, she's only a child, and has played no part in our clan's exile. To keep her here, in constant torment, is unforgiveable."

"How could you do this to me?" the white prince demanded. "You would take Serenity's side over mine?"

"I supported you, albeit reluctantly, until I saw the bruises on her face. After that," Saphir shrugged, "I couldn't condone it any longer. She has a life and it would be cruel to take that away from her."

"Saphir, that's enough!" the tiny teen shouted desperately. "Leave while you still can! I don't want to see you be hurt for helping me!" With the last shreds of her power she could grasp, she teleported him away, sending him safely to the Crystal Palace.

Dimande started in shock as he watched his brother vanish. He had been blocking the other man's teleportation, but hadn't considered blocking Serenity's power. Shaking himself out of his daze, he returned his attention to his captive just in time to leap over and catch her as she lost consciousness again.

"I did warn you that you would find it difficult to be here, princess. You shouldn't help traitors escape justice," he murmured as he smoothed her bangs from her face. "What's done is done, I suppose. Now rest."

With those words, he deposited his burden safely on the bed, tucking her in like a small child, then left to seek out his advisor.

88888888

Shrieks and yelps sounded when an unexpected figure appeared in the middle of the Senshi gathering, and more than one nearly attacked.

"BURNING-!"

"SHINE AQ-!"

"Minna, wait!" Jupiter ordered. "Don't attack! I recognize him." The Amazonian Senshi turned her attention to the man. "You're… Saphir? You're Usagi-chan's friend?"

The blue-haired prince nodded curtly as he held his shoulder. While Usagi's quick thinking had saved him from any serious injuries, she had been too small to prevent all of them, and he strongly suspected he had either sprained or dislocated something.

"Where's Usagi-chan?" Venus demanded immediately. "Is she okay? What's going on? Why are you here? How did you get here?"

"Venus!" Mars snapped violently. "He can't tell us anything if you don't quiet down. We're all worried about Usagi! Let the man breathe."

Tuxedo Kamen ran an appraising eye over his one-time friend, deducing correctly that his right shoulder was dislocated. "He'll be able to answer our questions more easily when he isn't in pain, I think," the masked hero decided as he moved to Saphir's side. "If you'll let me?" he offered, extending one hand.

The older (much older, something like two thousand years) man smiled gratefully. "Domo arigato, Endymion-sama. It would help immensely."

A golden glow sprang up around the super hero's gloved hands, which he placed gently over the injury. The same light raced into the skin and muscle, repairing what it could until the joint was back in place. "This will hurt," he warned a moment before he forced the bone back into its socket. To Saphir's credit, he didn't make a sound, but his pain was displayed on his features clearly.

"Arigato, my friend," he repeated. "Now, to business. You wish to know why I'm here, hai?"

"Hai!" the four Senshi shouted in unison.

"Princess Serenity forced me to leave, actually. My brother finally realized who had been helping her and attacked, hence the shoulder. If Serenity hadn't intervened, it undoubtedly would have been worse."

"What did she do?" Mercury asked worriedly.

"Dimande threw me to the wall with power, but Serenity was faster and kept me from hitting, although she probably has at least bruises to show for it. My brother and I exchanged words, Serenity panicked, and somehow she managed to teleport me out," the blue-haired man explained.

"What tipped off Dimande?" Mars demanded. "Will this put Usagi-chan in more danger?"

"I believe my brother finally made the connection when he returned to Serenity's room and she was hugging me," Saphir commented wryly. "He seemed most displeased. As to whether or not it will affect the princess's safety, I can only give you my best guess, not anything concrete. Dimande has been very quiet when it comes to discussing his plans for her."

"Well?" Jupiter snapped when the man paused. "Will she be all right?"

The man's head drooped slightly. "She'll live, as far as I know. Beyond that I make no guarantees. My brother's obsession with her grows by the day. I would have saved her again, if I could, but she forced me to leave."

Tuxedo Kamen frowned deeply. "You think he'll… rape Usako?" he asked with a cringe.

"He may try," the blue-haired prince murmured. "I desperately hope he doesn't succeed. She's much too young and pure for that nightmare." Raising his head, he faced the group. "I will do everything I can to help you," he stated firmly. "Serenity carries the fate of the world in her tiny hands. My life is no object in this."

King Endymion began to protest. "Saphir, don't say that. I know my wife well, regardless of the time period. She would mourn so deeply if someone died to save her and she couldn't prevent it. It's not her way."

"I did not commit treason against my only family to give up because of the risk to myself," Saphir retorted sharply. "It should tell you how much I want to see the poor girl home safely. Wiseman uses my brother for his own purposes, twisting and maligning him. Dimande is not the same now, and hasn't been for a long time. In rescuing Serenity, I would also like to save my brother from his demons."

A faint smile played at the corners of Venus' mouth. "You are truly a brave man. I can understand why you were our friend in the past. If your brother is truly not himself, we will not harm him," she said, throwing Tuxedo Kamen a sharp look as he opened his mouth to argue. "However," she continued, her voice sharpening and turning to ice, "if he does this of his own volition, kidnapping and harming our princess, we WILL kill him."

Each Senshi agreed immediately. "We have learned well from our princess, Saphir," Mercury added comfortingly. "If there is a way to save him, we will find it. Usagi-chan always has forgiveness to those who repent."

It was Saphir's turn to smile. "Arigato, minna. I hope you don't regret giving my brother a chance."

"That's sweet," a new voice drawled from the entry. "Did someone request more Senshi power?"

88888888

Slowly, Usagi began to return to consciousness. Taking a quick glance around, she noted that she had been left alone. Curling up into a ball, she rested her chin against her knees, trying to determine a method of escape.

("Mamo-chan?") she asked, reaching out for his familiar presence desperately. ("Can you still hear me?")

("Usako! Are you all right? What's wrong?") he demanded, worry and impatience evident in his tone.

("I'm all right, but I need to know something,") she reassured. ("Is Saphir all right? Did he get out safely? I tried to send him to you.")

("He made it,") he comforted her. ("He told us that you saved his life. Do you know a way for you to get out, or for us to find you?")

The tiny blonde mentally shrugged. ("I can't get out of this suite. Saphir can probably help you find a way in, though, since he helped me and Chibiusa escape. Is she okay?")

("She's upset,") Tuxedo Kamen informed her. ("She thinks it's her fault that you were captured, since you were trying to rescue her, but she's sleeping now.")

("I'm so sorry, Mamo-chan, but I couldn't leave her here. Please understand,") she whispered.

The handsome hero sighed. ("I do understand, although I think you shouldn't be so reckless. Still, I'm glad she's safe. Be careful, Usako. None of us know what's coming next.")

88888888

With the question, everyone in the room leapt to their feet. "Who are you?" Venus demanded, one false move from releasing her attack.

"Now, Venus, please calm down," the second newcomer said. "We may be more likely to introduce ourselves if we don't think we're about to be attacked."

King Endymion's hologram walked in their direction. "Haruka-san, Michiru-san, it's wonderful to see you both in good condition. I had feared that you had died during the attacks."

"We appreciate the concern, Endymion, but we're quite all right. We hear you could use our help. Would you mind introducing us?"

The King turned his attention to the others in the room, all of whom still seemed prepared for a battle. "Minna, this is Tenoh Haruka and Kaioh Michiru, also known as Sailors Uranus and Neptune. Uranus, Neptune, I'm sure you remember all of them."

"Of course," Neptune laughed. "We've lived through that time period. Pluto may kill us for disrupting her precious timeline, though."

The Senshi relaxed slightly, and Mercury approached them. "It's nice to meet you, and we're glad you're here to help."

"Haruka, where is Hotaru-chan?" Endymion asked. "She is all right, isn't she?"

"Hime-chan is fine," the racer replied. "We can defeat the Wiseman and Dimande without her, I'm sure." Turning her attention to those who were unaware, she explained. "Tomoe Hotaru is mine, Michiru's and Setsuna's adopted child. She's also Sailor Saturn, the Senshi of Death and Rebirth. As the most powerful Senshi, we use her powers only when we absolutely must."

"So what has Usagi-chan done that we have to bail her out of?" Neptune asked casually. "No, wait, let me guess. She went to rescue someone and got captured instead."

Jupiter nodded grimly. "Chibiusa-chan was stolen from Pluto while she was under attack. Sailor Moon went to rescue her with the help of a friend inside, but she didn't manage to make it out. We were just about to ask Prince Saphir how to save her."

"Were you now?" Uranus smirked. "By all means, do tell."

88888888

AN: So yeah, that's the newest chapter. What did everyone think? Come on, reviews please! I don't care what; just review!


	10. Part X

AN: So here it is; the next chapter of "Consequences of Forgetting." I hope everyone likes it. Things start to pick up in here, and there's only one more chapter after this, which should be posted shortly.

88888888

"So, Saphir-kun?" Tuxedo Kamen asked worriedly. "Do we have any advantages that'll help us save Usako?"

A grim smile lit the blue-haired man's face. "We have a few, actually. I know the layout better than anyone." At the group's questioning looks, he continued, "I designed the wartime headquarters, as well as designing and manufacturing the droids. My absence will slow my brother's efforts drastically, if not stop them completely. All his generals and reliable subordinates died or turned. The only advantages he has left is the Wiseman, and, of course, the Evil Black Crystal."

"You're saying that with you gone, Prince Dimande has no droids left at his disposal?" Uranus demanded as Mercury typed the new data rapidly into her tiny supercomputer.

"They're not completely gone," Saphir replied, "but there aren't many left, maybe a dozen at most. I had been preparing to make a new set when Serenity appeared in my lab." He reached into his sub-space pocked, highly similar to the Senshi's own. "I have all the plans of the base with me, as well as the designs of the remaining droids. Sailor Mercury?" He offered her the thick roll of papers, which she immediately unrolled and began to scan.

"I'm wandering off topic, I know, but I have to ask. Where did you get a sub-space pocket?" Neptune questioned curiously. "I had thought it was a peculiarity to the Senshi."

"I remember the answer to that one," Tuxedo Kamen answered suddenly, since Saphir didn't reply right away as he bent over the blueprints with Mercury. "During the Silver Millennium, Saphir-kun helped Queen Serenity improve the design of her computer system. His sub-space pocket was a reward for his assistance."

"Are there any passages that can get us directly to Usagi-chan?" Venus demanded of the two examining the pages. "Something secret, something Dimande doesn't know about?"

The blue haired prince quickly negated the possibility. "Serenity is kept in my brother's private suite. That is the only place of the entire fortress where he knows it as well as I do. Doubtless, all possible routes have been blocked, both to keep the Princess in and us out."

"Is there any other way?" Mercury inquired. "Your plans, if I understand them correctly, indicate a magical weakness nearby."

"I was hoping you would notice that," Saphir grinned. "When it was discovered, I swore to my brother that I would never tell anyone of its existence. It was a binding oath, so I couldn't use that knowledge to help you unless one of you brought it up first."

"Magical weakness?" The phrase piqued Mars' curiosity as she quickly considered possible ways to use the discovery to their advantage. "Can we teleport through at that point?"

"You'll have to tell me," the princeling sighed. "I'm afraid I don't have much to determine what you're capable of in your time, though I've seen what the Senshi of now can do."

Jupiter leaned back in her seat, considering. "Sailor Moon was always the guiding power when we teleported in the past. Even with the Outer Senshi of this time, I don't know if we can make it."

Uranus hesitated, glancing at her mate before she spoke. "There was one point in our timeline, before the ascension of Neo Queen Serenity, that we teleported without koneko-chan. However, we were at our full compliment of Senshi and even then problems arose."

Neptune nodded, continuing. "To attempt it, we'll almost definitely have to include Saturn and Pluto." Cautiously, she turned to face the King. "Endymion, we'll need her too."

The older man's face darkened warningly. "Absolutely not. She's much too young."

"There's no other choice," Uranus argued. "You weren't there; you don't know. Without her, we won't be able to get through the barriers. Even at her age, she's strong, possibly even stronger than she lets on."

"Um… hate to interrupt, minna," Mars put in, "but who are you talking about?"

88888888

A swirling purple vortex appeared in a large, open bedchamber, and a green-haired woman wearing a Senshi's fuku stepped through.

"Small Lady," she called softly. "Small Lady, I need you to wake up now."

A tiny child sat up, rubbing her eyes to banish the sleep. "Puu? What's wrong?"

"Our world needs you, Small Lady," Pluto explained, kneeling by the side of the pink-haired princess's bed. "Without your mother, we need a Senshi of the Moon. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"Me?" Chibiusa asked in shock. "A Senshi? I'm not powerful, Puu. I couldn't save Mama."

"Oh, Small Lady, you are so much more powerful than you would believe. You couldn't save your mama before because you didn't understand, but now, your friends need you. Without you, they can't save Sailor Moon and rescue the Queen. Onegai," Pluto requested. "Onegai, Chibiusa-chan."

The little girl studied her oldest friend carefully. "If you think I can, I will. What do I do, Puu?"

88888888

"We're talking about Small Lady," Sailor Neptune explained. "Soon in your future, Chibiusa-chan returns to your time as the newest of your Senshi, Sailor Chibi Moon. You said it yourself, Jupiter-chan. You need Moon to do the teleport. If we gather the rest of the Senshi, along with Chibi Moon, we'll be able to make it to your princess."

"Iie!" Endymion protested sharply. "She's still too young; she won't be ready to become a Senshi for another few years. Don't ask me to send my only child into battle," he whispered, panic and worry in his tone.

"Mamoru-san," Uranus breathed, "you of all people should understand. Even if we tried to leave her away, Chibiusa-chan wouldn't stay. She would do anything to save her mother."

Neptune nodded her agreement. "By including her, we insure that she doesn't pull the same stunt as Usagi-chan. We'll all be there, watching her. If it will help, Saturn will be by her side every second. She couldn't be safer."

"Minna," Mercury cut in, "even if you're right, and Chibiusa-chan can take Usagi-chan's position, we'd still need the Ginzuishou. Without it, we won't be strong enough. Yes, they have a weakness, but it's not a complete vulnerability. In our current level of powers, we'll never make it."

"What about Neo Queen Serenity's Ginzuishou?" Venus asked. "Even in this time, she's bound to have it."

The King shook his head. "Just before the attack, the Ginzuishou vanished without a trace. We've looked everywhere, but there's been no sign of it."

"Maybe you didn't look hard enough," Pluto smiled softly. "After all, it hasn't strayed that far," she continued as she strode into the room, holding Chibiusa's hand. "Minna, may I present Sailor Chibi Moon?"

The tiny pink-haired girl tentatively stepped forward, dressed in the traditional Senshi's fuku. "Puu told me what happened to the Ginzuishou. She said it wasn't my fault."

"What wasn't your fault, Chibiusa-chan?" Mars prodded gently. "What happened?"

"It was an accident, Rei-chan. I just wanted to be more like Mama, so I went to look at the Ginzuishou. When I took it out of the case, it disappeared," the child explained as tears began to trace their way down her face, identical to Usagi in so many ways.

"Oh, Chibiusa-chan, you already just like your mother," Jupiter said comfortingly as she gave her little princess a hug.

Saphir lifted his gaze to the Guardian of Time. "Did the Ginzuishou… go inside the princess?"

Pluto nodded solemnly. "It did indeed, although it is not the Ginzuishou any longer. In Small Lady's possession, it became the Pink Moon Crystal. It is hers and hers alone. The true Ginzuishou returned to its place in my Queen's heart."

"Daddy, you're not mad at me, are you?" Chibi Moon asked fearfully as she started to reach for her father before remembering it was just a hologram.

"Iie, Small Lady, I'm not mad at you," he soothed, itching to gather her close and hold her until everything was over. "It was only natural for you to want something that was always meant for you. I just wish it wasn't now, and that you could stay my little girl a while longer."

"With Chibi Moon and Pluto, will you have enough energy to complete the teleport?" Saphir questioned Mercury.

"I don't know," she murmured, examining the readings on her computer. "Is there anything you can tell us from the Silver Millennium about Mamoru-san's powers? In our time, his abilities are still a mystery to us. Can he link powers with us for a Sailor Teleport?"

The princeling considered. "It was never officially tried that I recall, but I don't see why not. He and Serenity have a soul bond; his powers are compatible with hers and should therefore be compatible with yours. It'll probably work best if he links with Chibi Moon."

"Saphir, can you come too?" Venus wondered. "I doubt your powers can mesh with ours, at least not until Usagi-chan can purify you. With your permission, of course," she added hastily. "If you don't want her to, we'll understand."

"It's quite all right, Venus. I had already decided to request that the Princess do so if we all live through this," he replied. "I believe that if we summon Sailor Saturn as well, and incorporate Prince Endymion in the Teleport, you'll be strong enough to bring a passenger. My brother has blocked me from returning under my own power."

"Uranus, Neptune, can you summon Saturn?" Pluto requested.

"Of course," Uranus said automatically.

"She'll be happy to see Chibiusa again," Neptune added, "even if Chibiusa-chan doesn't know her yet."

The pair strolled out of the room, talking quietly as they went.

88888888

Usagi wept silently on the bed, wishing with all her heart to be free, ignoring when Dimande stepped into the room. It wasn't until he took perch at the edge of her bed that she paid heed.

"Leave me alone," she muttered bitterly. "You've done enough damage already. You're trying to take away my family, my friends… my life."

"And what exactly have you lost?" the white prince challenged. "Your supposed love abandoned you, your child hates you."

The petite blonde glared. "Mamo-chan didn't abandon me. He tried to protect me from _you_. Chibiusa-chan doesn't hate me either. We may not always understand each other, but I still love her and she loves me."

"You can't wallow in self-pity forever, Princess. You have duties to fulfill."

"I have no duties here," the Moon Senshi snapped. "You keep me trapped, caged. I have no obligation to you."

"My people need their queen. Sooner or later, you will do your job," Dimande growled. "We will be wed."

That did it. Usagi's hands fisted and a powerful right hook connected with the pompous man's jaw. "I'll never marry you!" she screamed. "Never!" Deftly, she managed to snare her broach from his pocket, clutching it against her chest defensively. "You may be able to keep me from escaping, but you can't stop me from fighting you!"

The prince rubbed his jaw, growling. "You would do well to obey me, Serenity," he threatened. "Your so-called friends can't help you. You're mine to do with as I please."

88888888

"Is everyone ready?" Venus demanded, grasping Pluto's and Chibi Moon's hands.

"Hai!" Everyone responded.

"Saphir-sama? Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" she continued, glancing first at the blue-haired man in the center then at the masked hero at Chibi Moon's other side.

"We're ready," Saphir assured her.

"Chibiusa-chan?" the blonde Senshi asked, watching the little girl. "You first."

"Hai, Minako-chan. MOON PRISM POWER!"

"MERCURY STAR POWER!"

"MARS STAR POWER!"

"JUPITER STAR POWER!"

"VENUS STAR POWER!"

"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER!"

"NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER!"

"SATURN CRYSTAL POWER!"

"PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER!"

After a quick glance at the King, Tuxedo Kamen called his. "GOLDEN CRYSTAL POWER!"

Together, they yelled, "SAILOR TELEPORT!"

In a beautiful rainbow, the eleven figures in the center of the room vanished.

"Good luck, minna," King Endymion whispered. "Save Serenity and get everyone home safely."

88888888

"I'm not a belonging or a slave," the girl hissed venomously. "Do what you will, but I won't be spending the rest of my life here. You're destroying my world with what you're doing."

"You will love me!" he scowled, grabbing her shoulders roughly and shaking her as he attempted to hypnotize her. For a moment, he thought it would work, but suddenly the blonde pulled away, shaking her head to clear it.

"You can't force someone to love you! Besides, even if you managed, you'd know it wasn't my true feelings. I'll always love Mamo-chan!" Usagi protested.

"I just want what's best for my people," he argued. "You'll be queen of this planet; you can give us what we want."

"You don't need to attack the Earth to be able to live here," the Moon Senshi insisted. "Look at the Four Sisters," she tried again. "They live peacefully here, and there's no fighting. There is always another option."

"Yet you fight my people whenever we appear. You don't try to negotiate or find another way."

Usagi rolled her eyes. "Droids aren't known for their negotiation skills. If I didn't fight them, they'd kill me, my friends, and possibly Chibiusa-chan too. I still don't understand why you were chasing her. As for your generals, they were all trying to kill me. They didn't seem like the peace-making type."

"You killed them!" he bellowed. "They're all dead."

The blonde groaned. "I didn't kill any of them. Rubeus, I assume, died when his ship exploded, and I have no idea what happened with the others. I had no memories, remember? I didn't even know who they were." The man turned to walk away. "Listen to me!" she snapped. "I'm trying to avoid more bloodshed and death. I don't want a war on my hands or anyone else's. You can live on Earth peacefully if you just tried."

The white prince stared hard into the wide, innocent blue eyes. "Maybe you're right," he whispered, "but Wiseman said…"

"I don't know who Wiseman is, but whatever he said is wrong. Earth people don't hate all of you, and the only reason Neo Queen Serenity expelled your clan from Earth was because you refused to accept the cleansing from the Ginzuishou," the girl said determinedly. "Set me free, and I'll do everything I can to make things right."

Dimande paced the room, considering all that the Senshi of the Moon had just said. The girl gripped her broach more tightly, willing the Ginzuishou back into its setting, observing the soft pink light that indicated its presence.

"You're right," the prince breathed finally. With a wave of his hand, the chain vanished and the Evil Black Crystal was directed away from the tired teenager. She noticed a dark purple bruise forming on his chin.

"Hehe," she laughed weakly. "I didn't mean to hit you so hard," she apologized. "I just had to get you to stop. Gomen." Holding the Moon Broach aloft, she called, "MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP!"

The familiar pink lights washed over her once again, allowing the skintight bodysuit of her fuku to flow over her as the rest of her uniform appeared. With a bright flash, Sailor Moon stood in all her powerful glory once more.

"That was a foolish decision, my Prince," a malevolent voice drawled. "Contain the girl and come with me"

"Wiseman! She means us no harm! I'm letting her go, to return to her friends. She can offer us the life on Earth we wanted!"

"If you're going to be persuaded by a child, I have no use for you any longer," the caped figure sneered. "I think I'll just be rid of both of you, in the name of the Doom Phantom!"

88888888

"We're in!" Pluto shouted. "Saphir-sama, take us to her!"

"Right! Follow me, minna," the blue-haired prince ordered as he raced through the halls.

"She's henshined," Tuxedo Kamen informed them. "Somehow, she was able to become Sailor Moon."

"Something feels wrong," Mars warned. "Even for this place, I'm picking up some really strong dark powers. Is she answering you, Tuxedo Kamen-sama?"

"No, but I can feel her. Something's definitely going on; she's worried," came the quick reply.

"I want everyone to be careful," Venus snapped. "Don't take any unnecessary risks until we find Usagi-chan!"

"Got it!" Everyone replied.

88888888

"Run, Sailor Moon!" Dimande shouted, stepping in front of the petite blonde. "I'll take care of him."

"There's no escape," Wiseman mocked. "This world shall be destroyed!"

"Saphir tried to tell me not to trust you, but I didn't listen! I'm glad he managed to get away!" the white prince bellowed back, shooting a beam of energy at his opponent.

Usagi eyed the doorway, but it closed before she could get closer to it. She shook her head, returning her attention to the fight in front of her. "I can't just let you fight alone!" she yelled. "This planet is at stake, and I have to defend it!"

"Fine, I'll just kill you first," the caped figure barked. "Soldier of Love and Justice indeed!" The Wiseman teleported past Dimande until he was right in front of the little Moon Senshi. "Prepare to die, Neo Queen Serenity!"

"Iie!" the prince screamed, jumping and knocking her out of the way of the blast. Usagi knew from his stance as he stood that he had taken at least part of the blow. "Don't try to hurt her," he snarled. "Your fight is with me."

At the same time, both combatants fired. Dimande's hit the Wiseman full on, destroying his body, while the other man was thrown back into the wall before crumpling on the ground.

"Dimande!" Sailor Moon raced to his side, praying that it wouldn't be too bad. Soft tears began to form in her eyes. "Are you all right?"

"I'm… fine," he muttered, grimacing slightly from the pain. "Why are you crying?"

"Well," she responded, putting on a brave face, "if we're going to repair relations between Earth and your people, we'll need you. Will you let me help you?" He nodded reluctantly, watching carefully as she removed her broach and held it aloft. "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"

88888888

AN: I hope everyone liked it. Please review, and let me know if you think there's anything I should fix. See you next chapter!


	11. Part XI

AN: So here it is, the last chapter of Consequences of Forgetting. Hopefully you'll all enjoy it, so get reading!

88888888

"WORLD SHAKING!" Uranus yelled, smashing open the door. "Koneko-chan! What are you doing? Get away from him!"

Tuxedo Kamen's gaze moved automatically to his love, then leapt forward just in time to catch her as she collapsed. "Usako!"

Her eyes fluttered open slowly. "I'm okay, Mamo-chan." She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. "Thank you for coming for me. Can you help me with something?"

"With what?" the masked hero asked cautiously.

"Can you heal him?" the blonde asked, gesturing toward the fallen prince. "He saved my life. We owe him as much."

"Usako, he kidnapped you and hurt you. You don't owe him anything," her protector argued.

Saphir moved to kneel at his brother's side. "Are you all right, onii-san?" he demanded worriedly. "What happened?"

"Serenity and I talked," the injured man began. "She convinced me… that we were wrong. Wiseman came… and tried to kill her. I couldn't let her die."

The blue-haired prince lifted his gaze to the exhausted Moon Senshi. "Arigato, Serenity. You helped him, didn't you?"

She nodded slightly. "I used the Ginzuishou to undo the damage to his mind. In that, he'll be all right. I can't do anything for his injuries, though," she murmured, glancing at Tuxedo Kamen.

He relented when he saw her pleading look. "I'll help him," he acquiesced. "You need to be more careful though. Using the Ginzuishou here will just exhaust you more."

"Oh, such touching concern," an uncaring voice drawled. "It's almost a shame that I'm going to kill all of you. Maybe I should start with the little princess… just for fun."

"Chibiusa-chan!" Sailor Moon shouted, leaping to her feet. "You leave her alone! She hasn't done anything to hurt you!" The blonde held out her arms for her future daughter, who quickly jumped into her embrace.

Saturn stepped in front of the royal family, Silence Glaive held threateningly in one gloved hand. "You shall not touch her."

"Let me fight him," Sailor Moon decided. "It's time to end this battle once and for all."

88888888

"Iie, Usako!" Tuxedo Kamen protested. "You're too weak; you just used the Ginzuishou! You can't do it again!"

"I'll be fine," the blonde replied with a serene smile. "I have to do this, for everyone's sake. If something happens…"

"Nothing will happen," the masked hero denied fervently. "You always win. I believe in you."

She laughed softly, getting to her feet as she faced her daughter. "Don't do anything rash, Chibiusa-chan. Stay with Tuxedo Kamen-sama and the Senshi."

"But mama!" the littlest Senshi began to argue. "I can fight too! Let me help you!"

"Iie, Chibiusa- Chibi Moon," the teen began to say.

"Usagi-chan," Venus interrupted, "I think she's supposed to fight with you."

Saturn nodded her agreement, gesturing the blonde away from the group. "Chibi Moon carries her Crystal as well, although she hasn't realized it yet. She will when she has need, just the same as you did. She's meant to fight this battle."

Usagi shifted to look at the four strange, yet oddly familiar faces. "Do I… know you?" she asked tentatively. "I feel like I do, but I don't recognize you."

Pluto nodded then bowed formally. "Your Highness, Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium, I am Sailor Pluto, Senshi of Time, also called Meiou Setsuna."

The other three Outer Senshi followed suit, although Saturn did not kneel as she kept her Glaive pointed at their opponent.

"I am Sailor Uranus, Senshi of the Skies, also called Tenoh Haruka."

"I am Sailor Neptune, Senshi of the Ocean, also called Kaioh Michiru."

"And I," the youngest concluded, "am Sailor Saturn, Senshi of Death and Rebirth, also called Tomoe Hotaru. We greet you, Princess."

A slightly stunned expression appeared on Sailor Moon's face. "The Outer Senshi…" she murmured. "I knew something about you was familiar. I'm happy to see you all again."

"It's been a long time for you, koneko-chan," Uranus replied.

Usagi laughed slightly at the long-forgotten nickname. "I've missed all of you."

"Yes, yes, very sentimental," Wiseman snarled as Saturn continued to hold him at bay. "Now that you all know each other, I can kill you."

"Move over to the others, Hotaru-chan," Sailor Moon ordered gently. "It's time for me to do this."

88888888

The Moon Senshi, heir to the throne of the Silver Millennium and the future Queen of Crystal Tokyo, stared hard at her opponent, a cold focus settling over her mind. "I won't let you win!" she shouted. "For threatening the fate of my world and my dear friends, I can't forgive you! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

"You can't defeat me! The Black Gates are beginning to open! Soon I can unleash the power of the Evil Black Crystal and this planet will be destroyed!" the Doom Phantom cackled.

Sailor Moon moved in front of her compatriots, summoning the Ginzuishou as she did.

"Iie!" Mars screamed. "You can't use the Ginzuishou again! You're still too weak from being exposed to the Evil Black Crystal and from healing Prince Dimande!"

"Sailor Moon, don't!" Mercury agreed. "You're not strong enough to wield its powers!"

"It could kill you if you're not careful!" Venus warned.

"Usagi-chan, you can't do it!" Jupiter shouted. "We'll find another way!"

"Usako!" Tuxedo Kamen yelled, desperate to protect the petite blonde.

The Outer Senshi exchanged concerned looks, but held their peace, well aware that they would support her in any way they could.

"I need all of you to calm down," the teen replied serenely. "I'm perfectly capable of fighting and winning. After all, I know you'll all be there for me if I need you."

Just as the Senshi finished speaking, a blast of dark power slammed into her, blocking her from their sight. When it broke, a woman in a gleaming white gown stood before them, wearing a golden crown and holding the legendary Ginzuishou.

"Usagi-chan turned into Neo Queen Serenity!" Mars yelped.

Raising the Ginzuishou, the radiant figure chanted, "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" With her words, the shining stone sprang to life, and magic leapt from her in glorious waves of love and light.

88888888

Although the Ginzuishou in its Queen's hands was powerful, the young woman inside was still exhausted from her earlier exertion. At full strength, it would have taken little time to dispose of her foe, but her waning energy made it more and more difficult to direct the power she wielded.

"Iie! Usagi-chan!" the Senshi chorused as they noticed her near fall.

Chibi Moon raced to her father, tears in her eyes. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama, it's all my fault! If I hadn't taken Mama's Ginzuishou, this wouldn't be happening. Gomen nasai!"

As a perfect teardrop fell, the pink-haired princess realized she was holding a crystal remarkably similar to her mother's own.

"It's… the Ginzuishou," she murmured in shock, "but it's not. Papa?"

"It's yours," the masked hero told her gently. "Your friends told me that it was something special, just for you. The Pink Moon Crystal."

"I have to help Mama," the little girl said firmly. "Right?"

The Moon Senshi's savior nodded reluctantly. "Be careful, Chibiusa-chan."

"I will, Mamo-chan. Arigato." The child stood, raising the Crystal in the same fashion as her mother. A cascade of bright energy fell around her as she donned her princess' apparel to fight by her mother's side.

"Minna, together!" Venus called as they knelt in a line behind their leaders. "VENUS STAR POWER!"

"MARS STAR POWER!"

"MERCURY STAR POWER!"

"JUPITER STAR POWER!"

"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER!"

"NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER!"

"PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER!"

"SATURN CRYSTAL POWER!"

"GOLDEN CRYSTAL POWER!" Tuxedo Kamen finished, only to jolt in shock when a beautiful gold gem appeared between his gloved palms, glittering softly. Shoving away his surprise, he returned to watching his precious Moon Princesses as they prepared to end it.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" the young royals proclaimed as the love and strength of their friends washed over them, adding to their abilities. A spectacular flash of blinding pink light flooded the entire base of the Black Moon Clan.

88888888

Both exhausted warriors floated in oblivion, having returned to their Senshi attire.

"Are we dead, Sailor Moon?" Chibi Moon asked softly.

"I don't know," the older girl admitted. "Maybe."

"You're not dead," a new voice admonished. "You did a fantastic job defeating the Doom Phantom and saving your world."

"Mama?" Chibi Moon asked, perking up slightly.

"Yes, sweetheart," the Queen soothed. "Now, it's time for you to go back to your friends. They're worried about you."

88888888

"Usako!" Tuxedo Kamen shouted, gently shaking the limp form of his true love. "Usako!"

The blonde slowly began to stir, feeling all the aches and weariness that accompanied the battle return to her. "Mamo-chan?"

"Oh, you're all right," he breathed, relieved, one hand still clutching the Golden Crystal.

"Chibiusa!" Sailor Moon hissed, sitting up and crawling across to Mars, who was holding her future daughter carefully. "Is she…?"

Even as she began to ask, the pink-haired Senshi's eyes opened. "Am I what, Mama?" she asked innocently.

"Chibiusa!" the older girl cheered, pulling the child into a tight hug. "You're all right. I was so worried about you, using the Crystal at your age."

"Everyone is fine, Princess," Saturn said comfortingly. "No one is hurt, and the threat of the Doom Phantom has been eliminated. You did wonderfully in your first battle, Chibiusa-chan."

"Arigato," the little girl giggled, letting her henshin drop. "I'm very tired now, Mama. Can I go back to bed? Puu woke me up."

Everyone laughed even as they prepared to teleport back to the Palace.

88888888

Endymion stood in his control room, fully healed, watching as the tired soldiers settled into a healing sleep.

"It'll take me a lot of work to repair the time repercussions of this," Pluto remarked behind him. "You certainly didn't help with accidentally teaching Mamoru-san to summon the Golden Crystal."

"I didn't realize that he was strong enough to bring it to him yet," the King defended. "He's more powerful than I remember being."

Pluto colored slightly. "That would be my doing, I'm afraid. After that battle, I couldn't leave everyone remembering things that would affect the course of time. You only have memories I gave you."

"I had wondered," the man laughed softly. "Will Serenity and I retain our full memories now that it's over on both ends?"

"Possibly," the Time Guardian admitted. "They were not meant to be hidden forever. Now I need to deal with the challenge of burying them until needed."

"Will the others object?" he questioned.

"I don't know," the green-haired woman sighed. "I hate going against Sailor Moon's wishes, even so young, but I can't risk the timeline being destroyed. Most deviations from the path you took lead only to her death, and the others with her."

The King of Crystal Tokyo nodded understandingly. "If even half of the possibilities are as bad as you suggest, I cannot place any blame on you for what you did. The Senshi will understand. You and the rest of the Outers will remember?"

She nodded. "There is no reason for us not to. Once they awaken, gather everyone together for a meeting. Even if I have to do it regardless, I will speak of it with them first."

88888888

After a long night's sleep, the Senshi reassembled at Pluto's summons.

"Was there something you wished to discuss with us?" Minako asked quietly as she took a seat.

Pluto, still in her warrior's garb, indicated the chairs. "Please, minna, sit down. We have a lot to discuss."

"Is something wrong?" Usagi asked as she moved to sit between Mamoru and Chibiusa.

"Not… exactly," the Senshi of Time began. "You have all done very well. However, you know things now that will interfere with your lives in the future."

"You want to alter our memories," Ami guessed easily. "To make sure the things we've learned don't destroy the timeline."

"Yes. I would alter the memories of each of you from the past, as well as Small Lady. She means well, but as a young child she could let slip something the rest of you would not remember."

"The Outer Senshi would keep theirs?" Rei assumed. "Since they've already lived it."

"No, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn would have no need to forget. Unfortunately, I doubt you will enjoy your next meeting with them."

"We're friends now," Makoto observed, "so we'll work out whatever differences we have in the end."

"You're all being very accepting," King Endymion commented from the entryway he was lounging in.

"What is there to protest?" Mamoru retorted. "You say that I'm not to have the Golden Crystal for another year or so. Having it now, knowing how to get it now, could be disastrous."

Chibiusa just watched quietly, accepting that Puu was always right, so there was no reason to argue.

"Mamo-chan and I have already seen to Saphir and Dimande. I only ask that they be allowed to move themselves and their clan to our time, where they won't be hurt by the prejudice against them in this one," Usagi said.

"Koan and the other sisters would be able to help them. If you alter their memories as well, there will be no danger of an inconsistency," her boyfriend supported.

Endymion gestured, and another door opened to allow the two brothers to entire. While Dimande had to lean on his younger sibling for support, both seemed calm.

"We have no arguments with the arrangement," Dimande commented as Saphir eased him into a chair. "The Senshi have done a great deal for us, so we don't desire to destroy their happy future."

The younger of the two slid into another seat as he agreed. "I had planned to request it if Serenity didn't, regardless. I wish to return to Petz."

Pluto nodded her agreement. "Since my friends are being so acquiescent, I see no reason not to grant the request. I will alter the memories then send you through time myself." Waving the Time Staff, all at the table fell into a deep sleep as the Guardian began her task.

88888888

A few hours later, the Inner Senshi and their companions were back in their time, along with Small Lady, who would return shortly. The royal couple watched with Sailor Pluto as events unfolded before them.

"You were much kinder with your version of events than the truth, Puu," Neo Queen Serenity said softly. "I must thank you for that."

"You don't need to," the Guardian demurred. "You were young, so I saw no reason to let you remember the harshness of the situation. All in all, I believe that things worked out well for everyone. The Black Moon Clan has a chance to start again and the Senshi continue to grow with each passing day."

"They have a beautiful future to look forward to," Endymion chuckled as he kissed his wife softly. "There may be bumps in the road, but the rewards are certainly worth it."

88888888

AN: I hope everyone enjoyed this fic. If the ending didn't work out too well, I'll rewrite it, but I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed again. All comments are welcome!


End file.
